March 26 Flashcards
who is right? basic emotion theory or psychological construction theory?
debate is ongoing
perhaps integration is possible (Panksepp did acknowledge both biological and learned components, after all)
how could we integrate BET and PCT?
PRIMARY PROCESSES:
^ raw emotional systems rooted in subcortical brain regions, shared across mammals
SECONDARY PROCESSES:
^ learning and memory systems that shape responses based on past experiences
^ this is where individual variability comes in
TERTIARY PROCESSES:
^ higher-order cognitive systems (language, culture) that conceptualize and label emotions
integration of BET and PCT: shame example
shame may be rooted in SOCIAL PAIN (panic/grief)
but shaped by CULTURAL and COGNITIVE processes
it’s through language and cultural scripts that shame becomes “shame” to us - other cultures label and define it differently
the value and costs of negative emotions
negative emotions are essential and part of a well-balanced life
they EXIST FOR A REASON - they feel bad for a purpose
but if sadness and fear and other neg emotions are TRIGGERED TOO EASILY or LAST TOO LONG, they can become dysfunctional
and the environment we now inhabit is very different than the environment our emotions adapted to
fear
a response to a SPECIFIC, IMMEDIATE THREAT
involves:
- intense feelings
- facial expressions
- physiological reactions
- action tendencies (freezing, escape, avoidance)
when compared to fear, anxiety is more…
diffuse
non-specific
social anxiety
specific to social situations (esp meeting new people or public speaking)
driven by fears of judgment, rejection, negative evaluation
distinct facial expressions related to fear & anxiety
raised and drawn together eyebrows
widened eyes
tension around mouth
characteristic behavioural response associated with fear & anxiety
freezing
motionlessness is a good defense to threat
children with naturally inhibited temperaments will respond to fearful situations by being still
what facilitates flight in fear and anxiety?
sympathetic nervous system
adaptive value of fear and anxiety
heightens attention to threat
prepares body for action
sadness is triggered by what?
most often triggered by LOSSES
that threaten SOCIAL BONDS or VALUED GOALS
sadness signals need for what? and how does it do this?
need for SUPPORT (ie. when we experience social loss, we reconnect with loved ones)
- sad FACIAL EXPRESSIONS are universally recognized
- BODY LANGUAGE and nonverbal cues are also recognizable
- CRYING increases recognition
sadness promotes what kind of thinking?
more CAREFUL, SYSTEMATIC thinking
less reliance on stereotypes and heuristics in exchange for more realism
leads to efforts to analyze the situation thoughtfully and figure out what led to the sadness
did we do something wrong? were we treated unfairly?
sadness leads to less reliance on what?
stereotypes and heuristic
in exchange for more REALISM
what does sadness do when goals are no longer attainable?
sadness may help BREAK THROUGH RIGID GOAL PERSISTENCE (goal shielding)
may lead to REALISTIC REASSESSMENT and OPENNESS to SHIFTING GOALS
^ especially with help from others
sadness is linked to 2 physiological patterns
- increased arousal
- decreased arousal
sadness - increased arousal
- higher heart rate
- higher blood pressure
sadness - decreased arousal
- lower heart rate
- lower skin conductance
increased arousal associated with sadness
seen when CRYING
more likely when loss is IMPENDING (versus when it’s already occurred)
may reflect ACTIVE COPING, CALL for social SUPPORT
decreased arousal associated with sadness
more likely when loss is FINAL
may reflect ENERGY CONSERVATION
the 2 psychological patterns associated with sadness show that maybe there’s a…
time course
body gears up before the loss (increased arousal) inn order to call for support and attempt to prevent loss
then after the loss is certain and undoable, body arousal decreases and energy is conserved
when attachment or social bonds are threatened, what’s the response pattern?
2 stage response pattern
- protest
- despair
protest and despair upon separation from attachment figure
- PROTEST PHASE: active distress
- DESPAIR PHASE: emotional shutdown and withdrawal to conserve resoucres
parallels between sadness and protest/despair
2 physiological phases of sadness response (increased arousal first, followed by decreased arousal)
same with response to separation from attachment figure (protest phase first, followed by despair phase)
Panksepp’s affective neuroscience perspective on protest/despair
prolonged activation of PANIC/GRIEF system leads to shutdown of SEEKING system
causes LOW ENERGY/MOTIVATION - this is a core feature of depression
Panksepp’s affective neuroscience perspective on PANIC/GRIEF system shutting down the SEEKING system ties into…
roots of DEPRESSION and ADDICTION
drugs wear down the brain’s natural ability to generate pleasure, leading to dysphoria
both depression and addiction stem from overtaxing the brain’s emotional system - through PROLONGED GRIEF or overstimulation of reward systems
protest and despair phase in relation to depression
proest phase is active and high in physiological arousal
^ it isn’t adaptive to stay here forever, it’s costly
leads to despair phase, which is a shutdown
^ maybe this is the biological model for depression (sustained pain shuts down the motivation and response systems)
self-conscious eomtions
these involve HEIGHTENED SELF-AWARENESS and NEGATIVE APPRAISALS of the self
commonalities between self-conscious emotions
- reflect belief that we’ve DONE SOMETHING WRONG
- or that we’ve FALLEN SHORT of expectations
- make us FEEL BAD
- provoke URGE to HIDE/WITHDRAW
embarassment
often triggered by:
- SOCIAL MISHAPS
- UNWANTED ATTENTION
but doesn’t necessarily mean we did something morally wrong
shame
typically follows:
- MORAL FAILURES
- PERSONAL FAILURES
ie. hurting someone, lying, disappointing others
leads to:
- NEGATIVE, GLOBAL SELF-JUDGEMENTS (global, stable self-criticism)
example of a statement caused by a feeling of shame
“I’m a bad person
global and stable self-criticism
guilt
arises from SPECIFIC ACTIONS
ie. breaking a promise, neglecting someone, cheating
ties to feeling bad about WHAT WE DID, not who we are
does guilt, shame or both motivate people to take action and repair harm?
guilt
(because guilt arises from specific actions and leads us to feel bad about what we did instead of who we are - whereas shame is more global and stable)
shame displays what?
submission signals in animals
what do submission signals in animals function to do?
de-escalate conflict and prevent harm
so gives us an eye into a potential function of shame
shame may have evolved as…
an APPEASEMENT STRATEGY
helps to reduce aggression, elicit cooperation or pity, maintain social cohesion
shame tiggers what kinds of withdrawal?
emotional and physical withdrawal
^ similar to DEPRESSIVE STATES and SICKNESS BEHAVIOURS
^^ both of these are linked to INCREASED INFLAMMATION
^^^ inflammation heightens SOCIAL SENSITIVITY (for both positive and negative stimuli)
what leads to increased inflammation, and what does increased inflammation lead to?
depressive states and sickness behaviours lead to increased inflammation
increased inflammation leads to heightened social sensitivity (for negative and positive stimuli)
why is anger unique among basic negative emotions?
it motivates APPROACH rather than withdrawal
it energizes us to confront obstacles
core trigger of anger
arises when something BLOCKS our goals or THREATENS our wellbeing
ie. physical or psychological harm, betrayal, unfair criticism
function of anger
to help us REMOVE OBSTACLES
to PREVENT HARM
anger stems from what belief?
belief that the interference or restraint is unjust or illegitimate
(belief that things aren’t as they should be)
useful social functions of anger
- COMMUNICATES our LIMITS and DEMANDS to others
- mild, constructive expressions of anger can STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS by prompting understanding and change
- mild anger can INCREASE perceptions of POWER and BOOST PERFORMANCE in confrontational situations (ie. negotiations, competitive tasks)
- can increase one’s SENSE OF CONTROL
strategic use of anger
individuals sometimes boost anger when prepping for conflict or competition
because it enhances importance
costs and caveats of anger
- can damage close relationships if poorly regulated
- can lead to physical and social harm
- may lead to retaliation
- if anger is perceived as fake or manipulative, people push back harder
- acceptability of anger expressions varies across cultures and by gender
how does acceptability of anger vary across cultures and by gender?
MEN’s anger is often seen as SITUATIONAL and JUSTIFIED
while WOMEN’s anger is JUDGED MORE HARSHLY
(unless the cause is made explicit)
what is effective anger regulation (and what’s it key for?)
effective anger regulation: CHANNELING ANGER INTO CONSTRUCTIVE ACTION
it’s key to achieving goals without damaging relationships
