Lecture 32 Flashcards
What are Emotions?
Positive or negative feeling (affect) states, which are associated with a pattern of cognitive, physiological, and behavioral reactions
What do emotions involve?
A heightened state of arousal and promote certain patters of action/behavior
What can Negative emotions do?
Narrow our focus
What is Weapon Focus?
Victims of robberies often remember excessive details about a weapons used but little else
What can Positive emotions do?
Broaden thinking and promote exploration/skill learning
What can Eliciting Stimuli be?
Internal or External
What are Cognitive Appraisals?
Interpretation and meaning we attach to stimuli
What do Cognitive appraisals do?
Influence reactions, expressions and actions
What can Emotions do within the body?
Produce bodily changes, which can involve various physiological mechanisms
How do different emotions affect Subcortical Structures?
Destruction or stimulation of particular parts of the lambic system can produce aggression
How do Cortical Structures affect emotions?
The prefrontal cortex is involved in regulating emotion via its connections with the subcortical structures
How do Neurotransmitters affect Emotion?
Dopamine and endorphins may help shape our experience of pleasurable emotions, serotonin, and norepinephrine make similar contributions to anger
What are the Dual Pathways for emotions?
One to the Amygdala and one to the Cerebral Cortex
What does the Emotion Pathway to the Amygdala do?
Allows processing of input before interpretation by cortex would be possible
What does the emotion pathway to the Cerebral Cortex to?
Accounts for conscious interpretation, and involve feedback processes which can modulate physiology, and flexibility for response
When is the Left Hemisphere of the brain activated with Emotions?
Positive Emotions
When is the right hemispheres activated in Emotions?
Negative emotions
When does Autonomic activity increase?
When afraid which is related to the fight it flight response
What do Polygraphs test for?
Autonomic response to gauge lying, yet can’t produce high rates of false positive
What do Expressive behaviors do?
Communicate information about our internal state and allow for inferences about the emotions of others
What do Instrumental behaviors do?
Involve action
What can the Presentation of emotions in other produce?
A similar state in ourselves (empathy) likely due to mirror neurons
What are the Characteristics of Facial Expressions?
Universal
Innate
What is the James Lange theory about emotions?
Emotions attributed entirely to physiological reactions
