L9- emotions

Question 1

What is emotion defined as?

Answer 1

There is a lot of definitions of this, but the dictionary definition is:

cOnscious mental reaction (such as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as a strong feeling, usually directed toward a specifc object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioural changes in the body.

Question 2

Name some accepted features of emotions

Answer 2

Stimulus relevance: direct bearing on stimuluses needs, goals, values and general well being.

Prepare for action: to deal with important events ; with a strong emotional force.

Physiological changes:
Changes in the individuals

Question 3

Subcomponents of emotions?

Answer 3

1. Cognitive evaluation (process to make sense of stimulus)

2expression (freezed posture)

3physiology (sweat, h.r)

4action tendancy (avoiding the situation)

5 subjective feeling

Question 4

Why do we have emotions?

Answer 4

• they are a quick reaction for survival
• enhance or reduce sensory acquisition (how much senses occur)
• communicative function
• create interpersonal relations / group cohesion
• based on remote anscestors

Question 5

List the affective states

Answer 5

Emotions
Mood
Personality

Question 6

How long do the affective states last?

Answer 6

Seconds to a life time (last one is a life time)

• expressions
• autonomic changes
• self reported emotions
• moods
• emotional disorders
• personality traits

Question 7

List the five major emotion theories and explain these:

Answer 7

Basic emotion theories
=each specific event triggers a specific affect programme which corresponds to a basic emotion (6-10 basic emotions)
Dimensional models
=emotions are based off a range of dimensions, not a categorisation but more dimension (scale or arousal and valence)
Appraisal theories
=emotions are NOT triggered by objects, but extracted by our minds evaluation of the situation present. The interpretation of the situation is based off the individuals state and goals. For example, odour changes when labelled pleasent
The james lange theory
=emotions are a result of perception/ interpretation of bodily reactions elicited by a stimulus. E.g stimulus of a bear creates arousal of running away.
Constructivist theory
=combination of dimensional, appraisal and embodied cognition (james) theories of emotion. Emotions are not innate, but constructed. System of emotions has two dimensions of pleasant to unpleasant and high to low arousal. Emotion acts f meaning making. And meaning is made of bodily sensory affective state

Question 8

How many and what emotions according to paul elkman is there?

Answer 8

6 basic emotions
Fear
 Anger
Happiness
Sadness
Disgust
Surprise

Question 9

What brain area is responsible for anger?

Answer 9

Orbitofrontal cortex

Question 10

What brain area is responsible for sadness?

Answer 10

Anterior cingulate cortex

Question 11

What brain area is responsible for disgust?

Answer 11

The insula

Question 12

What brain area is responsible for fear?

Answer 12

Amygdala

Question 13

What is the role of the amygdala ?

Answer 13

Play an important role in emotion, early work calls this the fear centre.

People with damage to this can not draw fear facial features (as fear occurs in this brain area) and cannot interpret fear through sound either.They also cannot draw or recognise fear

Question 14

Does the amygdala create feelings of fear?

Answer 14

No. The conscious feeling of fear is from cognitive interpretation in the prefrontal cortex (thinking you are in danger)

Question 15

Name emotion regulation strategies and what do they lead to?

Answer 15

Reappraisal and supression

Increase activation in fMRI in the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex.

Question 16

What is the insula involved in ? In regards to emotion

Answer 16

Interoceptive awareness and bodily feelings

Some evidence in disgust experience and involvment

Damage to this suggests an impairment of disgust emotion

FMRI shows that recognising disgust emotions activates insula.

Question 17

Is it true that there is cross cultural universals in regards to emotions across the world and cultures?

Answer 17

Yes/ no

Elkman and colleagues did cross cultural studies on people from the south fore tribe and these indivudals had never been exposed to western culture but still identified their emotions. And the same with amarican students and those of this tribes emotions

RAcheal and jack say no.
4d photos of emotions, not an overlap but are distinct.

Cowan and keltner: 28 emotion catagories but are nto discrete and are bridged by smooth gradients

Question 18

Explain the facial feedback hypothesis

Answer 18

Face expressions not only communicate our emotions but also influence others emotions.

The activation of facial muscles sends a feedback signal to the brain

People tend to mimic other peoples emotions of whom they are talking to

Question 19

What causes spontaneous facial expressions of emotion?

Answer 19

Experience of the emotion in the past; occurs over time. For example if looking at a cake, over time u will experience a happy emotion being associated through experience of enjoying cake

Sensorimotor stimulation; someone else who is happy stimulates our facial feedback hypothesis and makes us mimic the emotion of the individual.

Question 20

Name some ways to interfere with facial mimicry

Answer 20

• botox
• face masks
• möbius syndrome

Question 21

How does interfering with facial mimicry affect facial mimicry?

Answer 21

Slows does recognition of face expression

Interfere with recognition of happiness as an emotion

Impairs distinction of true and false smiles

Delays perception of happy and sadness

Decrease the responce to angry faces in amygdala.