Emotions

Question 1

What is the behavioral component of an emotional response?

Answer 1

Physical response at the macro level; muscle movements, running, fighting, facial expressions

Question 2

What is the autonomic component of an emotional response?

Answer 2

Physiological responses that provide a quick release of energy and facilitate the behavioral response

Question 3

What is the hormonal component of an emotional response?

Answer 3

Hormones (e.g., adrenalin/epinephrine) secreted by the adrenal medulla; nutrients converted to glucose for energy

Question 4

What does the amygdala do?

Answer 4

It coordinates and integrates the behavioral, autonomic, and hormonal components of emotional responses; especially threatening/aversive stimuli

Question 5

What is the central nucleus?

Answer 5

One of the several nuclei in the amygdala that is involved in emotional responding; the most prominent; most important part of brain for expression of emotional responses provoked by aversive stimuli

Question 6

Where does input to the amygdala come from?

Answer 6

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (emotional regulation); thalamus (sensory input); hippocampal formation (memory)

Question 7

Where does the amygdala project?

Answer 7

Thalamus –> prefrontal cortex; ventromedial prefrontal cortex; hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, medulla

Question 8

What is a conditioned emotional response?

Answer 8

A formerly inert stimulus now elicits emotional response because of some aversive/feared stimulus

Question 9

What are some symptoms of amygdala damage?

Answer 9

People have impaired acquisition of conditioned emotional response, no increased startle response when feeling unpleasant emotion, no increased memory for emotionally connoted story

Question 10

What three brain areas are involved in mediation of aggression?

Answer 10

Periaqueductal gray (pain regulation, motor response), hypothalamus (control of ANS), amygdala

Question 11

What does Serotonin (5-HT) do?

Answer 11

Inhibits aggression; in studies, it’s associated with aggression and antisocial behavior

Question 12

What does the vmPFC do?

Answer 12

Helps perceive and understand the meaning of social situations (one of the most complex processing we do); involves integration of sensory info with memories and cognitive abilities

Question 13

Where does input to the vmPFC come from?

Answer 13

Dorsomedial thalamus, temporal lobe (both bring info about the environment); ventral segmental area (arousal); olfactory system; amygdala (emotionally relevant info)

Question 14

Where does the vmPFC project?

Answer 14

Cingulate cortex (control of behavior); hippocampal formation (memory); temporal lobe, lateral hypothalamus (ANS), amygdala

Question 15

What occurs with damage to the orbitofrontal cortex?

Answer 15

Individual is able to verbalize reasonable, appropriate, logical plans and responses but is unable to apply them in everyday situations

Question 16

What does the anterior cingulate cortex do?

Answer 16

Serves as interface between executive functions of frontal lobe, emotional function of amygdala, and brain areas controlling movement

Question 17

Which areas of the brain are activated by personal moral dilemmas?

Answer 17

Anterior cingulate cortex; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Question 18

What does the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex do?

Answer 18

Involved in cognitive functions; working memory, response selection, verification of info that is retrieved from long term memory, evaluation/implementation of strategies

Question 19

What is instrumental aggression?

Answer 19

Aggression that is planned, to gain something

Question 20

What results from decreased activity of serotonin neurons?

Answer 20

Increased risk tasking, increased aggression

Question 21

What occurs in terms of R hemisphere damage and facial expression?

Answer 21

Individual can make judgments about emotional aspects of hypothetical situations but difficulty judging emotions conveyed in facial expressions/gestures

Question 22

What occurs in terms of R hemisphere damage and voice tone?

Answer 22

Findings suggest comprehension of words and recognition of voice tone are functions mediated by different areas of the brain

Question 23

From where does the FFA receive input?

Answer 23

Parvocellular system (cones–high spatial frequency–detail detection)

Question 24

From where does the amygdala receive cortical and subcortical input?

Answer 24

Superior colliculus –> pulvinar; primarily from magnocellular system (rods–low spatial frequency–movement, depth, subtle differences in brightness

Question 25

What is facial paresis?

Answer 25

Individual cannot voluntary move face; can spontaneously move face

Question 26

What is emotional facial paresis?

Answer 26

Individual can voluntarily move face but cannot spontaneously move face (contralateral to lesion in insular, frontal white matter, or thalamus)

Question 27

What is the James-Lang theory of emotion?

Answer 27

Environmental event elicits physiological reactions –> brain is aware of these reactions via sensory feedback –> perception of these responses constitutes our experience of feelings

Question 28

What is the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion?

Answer 28

Environmental event elicits both feelings of emotion in the brain and physiological reactions; no causal relationship with each other

Question 29

What is the “modern” theory of emotion?

Answer 29

Environmental events, physiological reactions, and brain-based feelings are all interactive and affect each other

Question 30

True or false: emotional facial expressions usually emerge on the R side of the face first.

Answer 30

False; emerge on the L side of the face first, suggesting greater R hemisphere involvement