Final - Emotions Flashcards
What is the brain structure most studied in connection with emotions?
Amygdala
Input to and Output from Central Nucleus of the Amygdala?
Receives input from the basal and lateral nuclei and sends projections to a number of regions in the brain.
Where is the orbitofrontal area of the brain found?
Frontal Area
Extinction of Behavior and Brain Region Responsible for Suppression?
When a behavior becomes extinct, it is not forgetting of the behavior but rather a suppression of behavior by the vmPFC.
James-Lange Theory
Emotions are a result of physiological feedback which is caused by a stimulus.
VTA
The brainstem nuclei that releases DA and plays a role in emotional responses.
Why do we have emotions?
So that they can amplify our motivational states.
What do emotions give rise to?
Movement
Hypothalamus and the 4 F’s
Hypothalamus controls our drive states and the emotional centers of the brain feed into the hypothalamus. Our emotions give impetus to a particular drive over another.
- Feeding/Drinking
- Fight/Defending Self
- Flight
- Sex
- +++Sleep
2 Pathways by which the Hypothalamus Controls Drive States
- Neurotransmitters (neural pathways)
- Hormones
Hypothalamus & Hormones
The hypothalamus doesn’t release hormones by itself but instead does so by acting on a secondary organ.
Ex. HT releases GH releasing hormone onto anterior pituitary which then releases GH.
Hypothalamus vs Pituitary
Pituitary = Master Gland
Hypothalamus = Master Master Gland. Controls the master gland via hormone releasing hormones.
Darwin on Evolution of Emotions
Emotions are universal. They are both culturally learned and innate.
Emotions lead to formation of social groups and we need social groups to survive (if convey emotions, can form bonds with others).
Ekman’s Facial Feedback Hypothesis
External stimulus makes your body respond in a certain way (e.g., smile) and the motor and somatosensory cortices tell you that you must be happy.
Forced smiles = People report being happier.
Facial movement can influence emotional experience. For example, an individual who is forced to smile during a social event will actually come to find the event more of an enjoyable experience.
Laterality of the Brain/Hemispheric Specialization:
Which side of the brain is more emotional?
Face is innervated by the hemisphere on the other side. For instance, motor and sensory info going to right side of face crosses from left hemisphere.
- Right side of brain more emotional (therefore, left side of face has more emotional expression)
***Note, prof doesn’t like this model because there’s very good coordination and communication between hemispheres b/c of the CC.
James-Lange Theory
- Physiological arousal instigates the experience of a specific emotion. Instead of feeling an emotion and subsequent physiological (bodily) response, the theory proposes that the physiological change is primary, and emotion is then experienced when the brain reacts to the information received via the body’s nervous system.
- Similar to Ekman but extends theory beyond face to “viscera” (entire body)
- Emotion-producing situations elicit physiological responses and behaviors. Brain receives sensory feedback from muscles and organs and this feedback constitutes the feeling of emotion.
- Ex. External stimulus (see bear) –> run away –> feel afraind (a result of feedback from viscera)
- Emotions are evolutional because they seem to be controlled by cranial nerves (viscera = CN10, facial=CN#7).
Cannon-Bard Theory
- Feel emotions and experience physiological reactions simultaneously.
- Emotions result when the thalamus sends a message to the brain in response to a stimulus, resulting in a physiological reaction.
- Emotional expression results from the function of hypothalamic structures, and emotional feeling results from stimulations of the dorsal thalamus. The physiological changes and subjective feeling of an emotion in response to a stimulus are separate and independent; arousal does not have to occur before the emotion. Thus, the thalamic region is attributed a major role in this theory of emotion.
- Cf. James-Lange = physiological responses occur first and result and are the cause of emotions.
Cannon-Bard & Cats
- Conducted experiments to determine what role the cortex played in emotion. Removed cortex and stimulated hypothalamus. =>
- SHAM-RAGE (undirected anger)
Removal of PFC:
Phinneas Gage & Prefrontal Lobotomy
Personality different, flattened affect, loss of ability to experience emotions and emotions of others.
Schacter/Singer Two-Factor Theory
- Emotion is a function of both cognitive factors and physiological arousal.
- Environment plays a role in interpretation of emotion.
- People search the immediate environment for emotionally relevant cues to label and interpret unexplained physiological arousal.
Ex. High-Bridge Experiment (attribute physiological response to bridge to liking person with)
Ex. Boring Questionnaire + NE Shot (adopt emotions of confederate b/c feel a physiological response and look for a target emotion to attach it to).