lecture cards

Question 1

3. For emotions to be innate, where do they have to be seen?

Answer 1

3. They have to be seen from infancy

Question 2

1. What did Paul Eckman say is the basic function of emotions?

Answer 2

1. Paul Eckman said that the function of basic emotions is to mobilise the organism so that it can handle interpersonal encounters by behavioural reactions that have been adaptive in the past.

Question 3

2. How are basic emotions physiogenetically and onogenetically primitive?

Answer 3

2. Because you can find them in many species and early during the individuals development.

Question 4

4. Explain the habituation method in infants recognition of emotion:

Answer 4

4. 1. The infant starts by looking at new stimuli 2. After repeating the same stimuli, the infant doesn’t look at it anymore 3. When a new stimulus is presented again, the infant is drawn to it 4. After repetition, the infant doesn’t look at it anymore.

Question 5

5. At what age can infants discrimination basic emotions?

Answer 5

5. At the mean age of 36 hours, newborns can already discriminate at least three basic emotions.

Question 6

6. At 36 hours, what three basic emotions can newborns distinguish?

Answer 6

6. Fear, happiness and surprise

Question 7

1. What is the purpose of emotional expression?

Answer 7

1. Emotional expression informs the receiver about the affective state of the emitter: behavioural adaptation to the needs of interpersonal encounters.

Question 8

3. What was a principle stated by Darwin about basic emotions?

Answer 8

3. • Emotions are a direct action of the nervous system
     - Facial expressions are based on motor sequences based on pre organised neuronal activity
     - Facial expressions are spontaneous and automatic – they are independent of conscious control

Question 9

4. What are the functions of facial muscles?

Answer 9

4. – control the opening of eyes, nose and mouth

- Stretching, wrinkling, elevation or depression of distinct parts of the face.

Question 10

6. What facial muscle, lifts lips corners?

Answer 10

6. The cigomatico major

Question 11

8. What is the name of the facial nerve?

Answer 11

8. Craneal nerve VII

Question 12

13. What is the FAC’s system? (facial action coding system)

Answer 12

13. Descriptive system based on the anatomy of facial muscles
    Establishes a relationship between the movements of facial muscles and its cerebral control
    Decomposes a facial expression into a series of ‘action units’ (minimal movements of facial muscles)
    The FACS allows codifying facial expressions and its underlying movement as a function of intensity and duration.

Question 13

15. How do emotional expressions modulate during social interactions?

Answer 13

15. E.g. expressions of sadness of the emitter provokes feelings like comparison in the receiver and may change his/her behaviour (social support etc)

Question 14

16. Explain mirror neurons

Answer 14

16. A pre motor neuron activates when a subject has to grasp an object. The same neuron activates when the subject observes this action executed by another individual. (this has been found in monkeys but there is also evidence that mirror humans also exist in humans)

Question 15

1. How quickly can humans detect facial expressions?

Answer 15

1. Within milliseconds

Question 16

2. What factors influence out capacity to recognise emotional expressions?

Answer 16

2. Visual experts and also emotional faces appearing on certain visual contexts for example, having conceptual knowledge about emotions that help us to recognise emotional expressions.

Question 17

3. What is in the emotional package?

Answer 17

3. Expressive, subjective sensations, behaviour and physiologic (if one component is activated, the others will activate as well – network)

Question 18

4. Which smile type is more natural?

Answer 18

4. Duchenne smile (humans are more likely to imitate facial expressions which appear genuine or spontaneous)

Question 19

12. What is the dimensional approach?

Answer 19

12. The dimensional approach, proposes that the basic building blocks or elements of emotions are dimensions such as arousal and valence (positive to negative which is often regarded as synonymous with approach to withdrawal)

Question 20

15. What is the discrete emotion approach?

Answer 20

15. Proposes that basic elements of emotions are discrete entities, such as fear, anger, joy etc.

Question 21

4. How do unpleasant images affect the corrugator and zygomatic muscle?

Answer 21

4. When unpleasant images are shown, the corrugator is activated and zygomatic activity is inhibited.

Question 22

5. How do pleasant images activate the zygomatic muscle and the corrugator.

Answer 22

5. Pleasant images activate the zygomatic muscle and he corrugator is inhibited.

Question 23

6. Explain the startle reflex:

Answer 23

6. – startle reflex reflects the activation of the defense system.
   - Startle reflex can be triggered by abrupt and sudden stimuli e.g. loud sounds
   - Startle reflex = measured via EMG of the orbicularius oculi muscle
   - The startle reflex reflects a protection reaction
   - The startle reflex is linked to the eye blink.

Question 24

13. What does the dimensional approach suggest about organisms?

Answer 24

13. The dimensional approach builds on evidence that suggests that even simple organisms such as worms possess basic approach/avoidance responses and that it can also be seen in more complex animals.

Question 25

12. What is the dimensional approach?

Answer 25

12. The dimensional approach, proposes that the basic building blocks or elements of emotions are dimensions such as arousal and valence (positive to negative which is often regarded as synonymous with approach to withdrawal)

Question 26

what is the hypothalamic - pituitary - adrenal - axis responsible for?

Answer 26

The HPA

• is responsible for the secretion of glucocorticoids (cortisol) by the suprarenal cortex
• stress activates the HPS axis
• The hypothalamus liberates CRH (corticotropin releasing hormone)
• The CRH stimulates the pituitary gland that secretes ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone)
• The ACTH activates the suprarenal context that liberate glucocorticoids (cortisol)

Question 27

what are five facts about the hypothalamic - pituitary - adrenal - axis

Answer 27

• the glucocorticoids inhibit the action of the immune system (inhibit the inflammatory processes)
• fight and flight responses increase the risk for inflammation
• In fight or flight situations it is adaptive to avoid these reactions
• the price of activation of the HPA axis is that immunological and anti inflammatory consequences increases the risk of infections

Question 28

what is the role of the ANS - adrenal medullary - axis (AAM)

Answer 28

• the activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomous nervous system activates the adrenal medulla
• The adrenal medulla liberates adrenaline and noradrenaline
• this provides visceral changes such as heart rate increase, in order to prepare the organism for action.

Question 29

what is the hypothalamic - pituitary - gondadal - Axis (HPG)

Answer 29

stress inhibits the HPG axis
the HPG axis is responsible for the secretion of sex hormones
The inhibition of the HPG axis results in reduced sexual desire and behaviour
This is a core symptom of dress (Sternberg and Lucano 1995)

Question 30

How does the hypothalamus organise motor programmes?

Answer 30

electric stimulation of the lateral and posterior hypothalamus - sympathetic activation (increase of blood pressure, heart rate (HR), Piloerection and papillary dilation)
stimulation of the anterior hypothalamus - specific motor patterns associated with emotions (fight, flight)