March 24 Flashcards
emotion definition
an inferred complex sequence of REACTIONS TO A STIMULUS [including]
- cognitive evaluations
- subjective changes
- autonomic/neural arousal
- impulses to action
- behaviour
designed to have an effect UPON THE STIMULUS that initiated the complex sequence
key points to the definition of emotion
- emotions are FUNCTIONAL
- emotions are REACTIONS TO STIMULI
- emotions include:
a) COGNITIVE APPRAISALS
b) SUBJECTIVE FEELINGS
c) PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGE
d) BEHAVIOUR
4 things that emotion include - are they all necessary for something to count as an emotion?
- cognitive appraisals
- subjective feelings
- physiological change
- behaviour
as for the answer to the question, we’re not entirely sure…
William James quote on how emotions work
“we feel sorry because we cry, angry because we strike, afraid because we tremble”
^ suggests that some precipitating event leads to physiological reaction which then leads to conscious awareness and labelling of emotion
^ not the typical view
James-Lange theory of emotion
emotions are the result of PERCEIVING BODILY CHANGES in response to some stimulus in the environment
- (appraisal of) STIMULUS
- PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE & BEHAVIOUR
- EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE
James-Lange theory of emotion suggests that diff emotions = associated with…
diff patterns of bodily response
Cannon-Bard theory of emotion
bodily response and emotional experience occur AT THE SAME TIME following a stimulus
occur at the same time, but are independent (signals that go to cortex = emotion and signals that go to body = physiological response)
Schachter-Singer two-factor theory of emotion
emotional response is the result of an INTERPRETATIVE LABEL applied to a BODILY RESPONSE
emotion involves COGNITIVE APPRAISAL about the source of the bodily response
the physiological response ISN’T HIGHLY SPECIFIC
Schachter-Singer approach - the physiological response isn’t highly specific
stresses the role of COGNITIVE APPRAISAL in interpreting a bodily response
ie. both a BEAR STIMULUS and a LOVE NOTE STIMULUS could result in the same physiological response of HEIGHTENED HEART RATE
but the APPRAISAL is what differs
ie. “I’m gonna die!” versus “I’m gonna die from happiness!”
first appraisal leads to FEAR, second one leads to HAPPINESS
famous Capilano bridge study
arousal caused by walking over high suspension bridge was misattributed to attractive confederate
those who walked over narrow bridge on windy day were more likely to call the attractive confederate, and wrote more sexually-charged stories
bogus heart rate feedback when viewing pin-ups (ie. playboy girls)
men who THOUGHT their heart was racing rated the model they were looking at as MORE ATTRACTIVE
suggests they MISATTRIBUTED the perceived arousal to sexual attraction
basic emotions
thought to be EVOLVED, HARDWIRED responses
adapted to solve SPECIFIC SURVIVAL PROBLEMS
ie. fear helps us escape threat
core principles of basic emotions
- each emotion has an adaptive function
- emotions coordinate cognition, physiological responses, subjective experiences and behaviour
what qualifies a “basic” emotion?
- universality
- distinct expressions
- early emergence
- physiological distinctiveness
universality (pertaining to basic emotions)
should appear across all cultures
and maybe in other species
(universality is a necessary qualification for a basic emotion)
distinct expressions (pertaining to basic emotions)
cross-culturally recognizable FACIAL, VOCAL and BEHAVIOURAL patterns
(distinct expressions are a necessary qualification for a basic emotion)
early emergence (pertaining to basic emotions)
they’re innate, don’t have to be learned
ie. patriotism and nostalgia don’t emerge early, which is one reason why they aren’t considered basic emotions
(early emergence is a necessary qualification for a basic emotion)
physiological distinctiveness (pertaining to basic emotions)
fairly unique physiological profile
(physiological distinctiveness is a necessary qualification for a basic emotion)
example of basic emotions approach
Panksepp and his 7 emotion systems
fear, lust, care, panic/grief, play
seeking function
generates enthusiasm
curiosity
sense of purpose
seeking trigger
new or promising stimuli
ie. food, mates, exploration
seeking behavioural output
foraging, goal directed behaviour
seeking subjective feeling
interest
anticipation
excitement
enthusiasm
rage function
mobilizes an aggressive response to threat, restraint or frustration
rage trigger
physical restraint
blocked goals
perceived injustice
rage behavioural output
fighting
attacking
asserting control
rage subjective feeling
anger
frustration
irritation
fear function
promotes survival through avoidance and escape
fear trigger
threats
pain
unfamiliar/dangerous stimuli
fear behavioural output
freezing
fleeing
avoidance
fear subjective feeling
fear
anxiety
dread
lust function
drives reproductive behaviour and sexual attraction
lust trigger
presence of sexually-relevant stimuli
ie. pheromones, fertility cues
lust behavioural output
sexual arousal
courtship
mating behaviour
lust subject feeling
sexual desire
attraction
care function
promotes nurturing and caregiving
care trigger
presence of offspring or vulnerable others
care behavioural output
protecting
feeding
soothing
care subjective feeling
warmth
affection
compassion
panic/grief function
promotes social reconnection and attachment maintenance
panic/grief trigger
social separation
loss
neglect
panic/grief behavioural output
crying
protest
withdrawal
sadness
panic/grief subjective feeling
sadness
loneliness
grief
play function
encourages social engagement
encourages learning social rules
building social bonds
emotion regulation
play trigger
safe, relaxed environments
familiar social partners
play behavioural output
rough-and-tumble play
laughter
play subjective feeling
joy
amusement
social pleasure
dimensional approach to emotion
dimensional models suggest that emotions exist on CONTINUOUS SCALES rather than in discrete categories
2 key dimensions: VALENCE and AROUSAL
two key dimensions composing a dimensional approach to emotion
- VALENCE (pleasant vs unpleasant)
- AROUSAL (high vs low activation)
dimensional approach - people differ in what?
EMOTIONAL GRANULARITY
aka ability to FINELY DIFFERENTIATE emotional experience
we can’t always tell emotions apart, and some people are better than others in differentiating them
do emotions fall into discrete boxes according to dimensional approach?
no, they vary according to dimensions of valence and arousal
psychological construction theories
argue that emotions are not biologically hardwired categories
but are instead CONSTRUCTED using concepts we LEARN from those around us
how is psychological construction theory similar to Schachter-Singer theory?
constructionists argue that people rely on SITUATIONAL CUES and LEARNED CONCEPTS to interpret and label feelings
but, UNLIKE S-S theory, they don’t believe that bodily arousal is necessary
