Jan 21 Flashcards
why do we call it a PROVISIONAL list of emotion properties?
because it likely IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE
will likely change as researche progresses
(currently: scalability, valence, persistence, generalization, global coordination, automaticity, social communication)
defining feature of a central state
is that experimental manipulations of that state should affect MULTIPLE OUTPUTS of that state (wide reaching - behavioural, physiological, cognitive, self report effects)
to determine this, it’s necessary to be able to MANIPULATE components of the state
ie. genes, brain cells
^ this likely calls for non-human research
basic emotion theories are the ______ view in the field
dominant
some of these ideas formed Anderson & Adolph’s principles
PAPER REVIEW: “4 models of basic emotions: a review of Ekman and Cordaro, Izard, Levenson and PAnksepp and Watt”
Ekman, Izard, Levenson & Panksepp’s theories are all examples of BASIC EMOTION THEORIES
paper focuses on the central themes of these models and identifies points of SIMILARITY/DIFFERENCE
considers which pieces of the models are MOST USEFUL
“all models are wrong, but some are useful”
important quote - core idea to keep in mind while we’re evaluating theories
what makes a USEFUL model?
- a useful model makes CLEAR, TESTABLE predictions
^ can ultimately be falsified
- a useful model will GUIDE and INFLUENCE RESEARCH
^ leads to new insights
- determining which parts of a model are RIGHT and WRONG is an EMPIRICAL question
3 things a strong model of basic emotions should do
(according to Tracy & Randles)
- allow us to FIGURE OUT IF X (some psychological entity) is a basic emotion
- if we already know that X is a basic emotion, a strong model should HELP US LEARN MORE about X
- provide SET OF INSTRUCTIONS for how to GO ABOUT STUDYING newly uncovered emotional states
basic emotion theories in a nutshell (5 points)
- propose a LIMITED NUMBER of biologically and psychologically “basic” emotions
(like fear, anger, joy, sadness)
- these basic emotions are DISCRETE and IRREDUCIBLE
- can be COMBINED to form complex emotions
- have INNATE NEURAL SUBSTRATES
- when elicited, lead to ORGANIZED and RECURRING PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR that are UNIVERSAL
BET: what is meant by saying that basic emotions are discrete and irreducible?
discrete: different from one another
irreducible: can’t be further distilled into component parts
BET: emotions evolved for what purpose?
to respond to fundamental life tasks
BET: distinctive causes, physiological correlates
emotions have distinctive causes - meaning they have specific ELICITING STIMULI
emotions have CHARACTERISTIC physiological correlates
emotions are AUTOMATICALLY ELICITED by these causes
basic emotions versus dimensional models
are generally distinguished from one another
- dimensional models define emotions based on their POSITION in two or more dimensions
(ie. arousal and valence)
^ may suggest that underlying neural mechanisms of an emotion are SHARED
- basic emotion models identify CATEGORICALLY DIFFERENT emotions with DISCRETE NEURAL SUBSTRATES
examples of basic emotions from diff theorists
Izard:
happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, interest, contempt
Panksepp & Watt:
PLAY, PANIC/GRIEF, FEAR, RAGE, SEEKING, LUST, CARE
Levenson:
enjoyment, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, interest (?), love (?), relief (?)
Ekman & Cordaro:
happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, contempt, surprise
why does Panksepp use all caps for his list of basic emotions?
bcuz he’s using common labels to refer to DIFF MEANINGS than we typically hold
what do all the theorists from the paper agree about the nature of basic emotions?
- DISCRETE
- have FIXED set of NEURAL and BODILY components
- have fixed FEELING or MOTIVATIONAL component
^ that has been EVOLUTIONARILY SELECTED because it’s adaptive
- PSYCHOLOGICALLY PRIMITIVE
- can INTERACT with other basic emotions and higher cognitive processes to produce COMPLEX emotional experience
BET theories: “psychologically primitive”
something that all 4 theorists agree on about basic emotions
means diff things to diff theorists
- are found in SUBCORTICAL BRAIN STRUCTURES (anatomically primitive)
- most strongly expressed EARLY in DEVELOPMENT or in response to IMMEDIATE CRISIS (primitive bcuz divorced from volitional control)
lone requirement of basic emotion held by Panksepp
basic emotions must be located in SUBCORTICAL STRUCTURES
all theorists agree that existence of a basic emotion is supported by what?
- GENERALIZATION ACROSS SPECIES
ie. examining the emotion in nonhuman animals
ie. existence of neurons dedicated to producing that emotion
BET theorists and their assertion that generalization across species is evidence of basic emotions - this leads to what important questions?
- how do we observe the emotion in another animal?
- assumes that emotions are hardwired at the level of individual neurons
^ likely much too simplistic, not enough flexibility
- what about animals with very different kinds of neural systems?
is pride a basic emotion? Tracy & Randles’ suggestion
Tracy & Randles suggest pride passes the test of having a distinct FEELING/MOTIVATIONAL COMPONENT
suggest it’s spontaneously shown in ‘pride-eliciting’ situations across culture - suggests UNIVERSALITY
suggests that DOMINANCE DISPLAYS in non-human animals may be related to pride
PROBLEMATIZING Tracy & Randles’ suggestion that pride’s a basic emotion: suggestion that pride has a distinct feeling/motivational component
by what objective criteria?
PROBLEMATIZING Tracy & Randles’ suggestion that pride’s a basic emotion: it’s spontaneously shown in ‘pride-eliciting’ situations across cultures (suggests universality)
how do we define ‘pride-eliciting’ situations?
CIRCULARITY built in here
we only know what a ‘pride-eliciting’ situation is by determining that it “elicits pride”
PROBLEMATIZING Tracy & Randles’ suggestion that pride’s a basic emotion: suggestion that dominance displays in non-human animals may be related to pride
what criterion are used to assess this?
BET: what’s the function of a basic emotion?
- basic emotions must have DIRECT CAUSAL POWERS over MOTIVATION and BEHAVIOUR
(at least early in development)