History of emotions Flashcards
William James
bodily arousal produces emotions
Walter Cannon
bodily arousal and emotion occur at the same time
refutes james-langer theory
Cannon-Bard Theory
two routes for emotional expression
1. arousal produces emotional expressions and can be produced by subcortical processing
2. cortical processing is required for producing emotional feelings and emotional consciousness
The Ancients famous thinkers
Democritus, Plato, Aristotle, Stoics, Galen
Democritus
emotions interferes with reason
Plato
emotions separate from reason and linked to the body
reason masters emotions
Aristotle
linked to organ body, presupposes reason
Stoics
causes changes in the body
interfere with reasons
2 types of emotions
Stoics’ 3 acceptable expression of emotion
Joy, caution, wish
Galen
linked with biology
types of emotions
According to the Ancients, what are emotions?
- interferes with reason
- separate from reason
- presupposes reason
According to the Ancients, what creates emotion?
- linked to the body
- linked to organ in body
- causes changes in the body
- linked with biology
According to the Ancients, what is the nature of emotion?
there are two+ types
The Renaissance, famous thinkers
Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes
emotions arise from the soul’s contact with the body, brain & body
emotions are distinct, primary vs secondary
emotions motivate, have a purpose
Rene Descartes mechanism
External/internal stimulus –> activate the spirits –> mechanical action –> stirs pineal gland & moves the soul
The Moderns, famous thinkers
James Lange, Walter Cannon, Stanley Schachter, Jerome Singer
James Lange
Bodily arousal produces emotions
Walter Cannon
refutes James Lange
physiological arousal not necessary to emotional feelings or consciousness
two routes to emotions
1. arousal produces emotional expression in subcortical
2. cortical processing required to produce emotional feelings
Schachter - Singer cognitive arousal theory
2 necessary for feeling & emotion
1. thought
2. bodily arousal
physiological arousal occurs first
physiological reactions need to be congitively labeled and interpreted as a particular emotion
Problems with Schachter - Singer theory
- failures in replication
- no evidence of bodily feedback is necessary for emotion
- sometimes emotions are experienced before we think about them
Mechanism of the Schachter - Singer theory
- i see a bear
- hear racing + trembling (physiological arousal)
- rapid heart rate & trembling are caused by fear (awareness & attribution)
- i am frightened (feel emotion)
Contributions of Schachter Singer theory
- useful extension of J-L theory
- supported notion cognitive evaluations are important
- provided a mechanism through which unspecific bodily arousal could produce the various emotions we feel
