Lecture 8, The Complexities of Mood Flashcards
Definition of Emotions
Emotions are processes comprising appraisal, motivational, somatic, motor and feeling components.
These processes are reactive to situations/events and are continuous and recursive.
Emotions are normal and even functional, but prolonged negative emotional experiences can lead to mood problems.
Components of Appraisal Theory
Appraisal theory refers to evaluations of the environment and the person-environment interaction.
It has several components:
Appraisal: evaluations of the environment and the person-environment interaction.
Motivational: specific action tendencies or other forms of action readiness.
Somatic: peripheral physiological responses.
Motor: expressive and instrumental behavior.
Feeling: subjective experience.
Somatic Marker Hypothesis
Somatic markers are emotional reactions with a strong somatic component that support decision making.
They are associations with different situations that are learned over time.
Physiological changes to the body in response to a stimulus are relayed to the brain and experienced as an emotion.
Pathways for Reactivation of Somatic Marker Pathways
The ‘body loop’ pathway evokes emotion through changes in the body that are projected to the brain.
The ‘as-if body loop’ pathway involves cognitive representations of emotions that are activated in the brain without being directly influenced by physical sensations.
Anticipation of an event, memory and connection with past experience leads to behavioral response.
Function of emotions:
Damasio (2000) stated that “emotion is integral to the process of reasoning for worse and for better”.
Emotions serve an important function in our decision-making process and influence our thoughts and behaviours.
Emotions also help us communicate with others, express ourselves, and empathize with others.
Mood disorders:
Mood can be characterized as a pervasive state that accumulates over time, and can be positive or negative.
Negative mood states that last for a long time can be diagnosed as a mood disorder, such as depression.
Depression is one of the most common disorders worldwide, affecting 300 million people of all ages globally.
Emotional experiences linked with depression include sadness, despair, and deep sorrow.
Experience of depression:
Depression is a diagnosis and a set of psychological and physical symptoms that tend to appear together.
Emotional experiences are linked to other components of experience, including appraisals, meaning the way we think when we are depressed will be affected.
There are individual differences in the way we appraise situations, and negative styles of appraisal can lead to consistently negative emotions.
It is difficult to say for sure what comes first - our tendency to see things negatively or our experience of depression.
Using psychological models to understand and treat depression: 5 P’s:
Psychological models help us understand psychological well-being and mental health problems.
Understanding contextual factors and their impact is done through information gathering.
The 5 P’s model includes: predisposing factors, precipitating factors, perpetuating factors, protective factors, and processes of change.
Predisposing factors are factors that increase the likelihood of developing depression.
Precipitating factors are events that trigger the onset of depression.
Psychological Formulation
A psychological formulation is a hypothesis about the factors that contribute to an individual’s mental health problem.
The 5 P’s formulation model is a simple model that can be used to understand mental health problems.
Predisposing Factors
Predisposing factors are factors in an individual’s life that make them vulnerable to mental health problems.
Predisposing factors may include genetic factors, early life experiences, and personality traits.
Precipitating Factors
Precipitating factors are the events or set of events that have led to the mental health problem occurring.
Precipitating factors may include life events such as loss, trauma, or stress.
Presenting Factors
Presenting factors are the symptoms or problems that the individual is experiencing.
Presenting factors may include mood changes, anxiety, or behavior changes.
Perpetuating Factors
Perpetuating factors are the factors that keep the mental health problem going.
Perpetuating factors may include negative thinking patterns, coping strategies, or social isolation.
Protective Factors
Protective factors are the positive factors in an individual’s life that can be built on to improve mental health.
Protective factors may include supportive relationships, positive coping strategies, or hobbies and interests.
