PSY331 - 3. Structure and Function of Emotions

Question 1

Structural Account of Emotions A. Basic Emotions

Answer 1

Structure = basic elements of emotional life
# of irreducible experiences that count as emotions

Question 2

Structural Account of Emotions A. Basic Emotions

Answer 2

Darwin: saw basic emotions in animals
most through facial expression research
in the paradigm - taken as truth

Question 3

Structural Account of Emotions A. Basic Emotions

Answer 3

now field is going toward dimensional models
similar to factor analysis - core elements
species, wavelengths of colour

Question 4

Basic Emotions‐ Criteria

Answer 4

Universal among humans
Physiologically distinct (including specific brain patterns)

Question 5

Basic Emotions‐ Criteria

Answer 5

Distinct/universal built‐in ways of expressing them: tone of voice, facial expression
Evident early in life: good/bad, fear from distress in 6 months, anger takes longer because it’s complex

Question 6

Basic Emotions‐ Criteria

Answer 6

born, quick onset, brief duration, universal, evolutionary
expression, appraisals
if basic covers all of Eikman’s 12 criteria*
we should all be able to experience them unless damage
set patterns of responses

Question 7

Experiential and Linguistic

Evidence for Basic Emotions

Answer 7

Participants put cards with emotion words into piles
representing similar meanings (Shaver et al., 1987)
Love, anger, hate, depression, fear, jealousy

Question 8

Experiential and Linguistic

Evidence for Basic Emotions

Answer 8

self report of feelings: description of each feeling
component process: physiological, voice, facial expression
sort them how you like

Question 9

Shaver et al. (1987) Results

Answer 9

superordinate: positive/negative
basic: fear
subordinate: panic, terror, horror

Question 10

Shaver et al. (1987) Results

Answer 10

Basic Category: short, quick to learn
representation of fundamental categories
finer distinctions is adding details but not new categories to one’s knowledge

Question 11

Shaver et al. (1987) Results

Answer 11

difference in cultures: 
hindu: heroism, peace, wonder
North America: contempt, shame
short list: other emotions added
contempt: anger + disgust
disappointment: sadness + surprise
Ekman: rollercoaster of emotions

Question 12

Experiential and Linguistic

Evidence for Basic Emotions

Answer 12

6‐ 12 independent monopolar factors: (anger, anxiety, sadness, elation…)
Independent ‐ no consistent relationship between
discrete emotions
we don’t know if they’re feeling 2 diff emotions

Question 13

Experiential and Linguistic

Evidence for Basic Emotions

Answer 13

not perfectly correlated
diff phenomenological experiences
Monopolar: scale of 0 —10 are you feeling fear
no fear to all fear - no feeling to strong feeling

Question 14

Component Process Data –

Facial Expression - Etcoff and Magee (1992)

Answer 14

Drawings of morphed emotional faces

Ps categorized them into discrete categories

Question 15

Component Process Data –

Facial Expression - Etcoff and Magee (1992)

Answer 15

from little emotion to intense emotion

using basic level emotions to decide shift in continuum even if it shows continuum

Question 16

Component Process Data –

Vocal Affect - Scherer, Banse, Wallbott, and Goldbeck (1991)

Answer 16

Recorded 2 M & 2 F actors speaking in nonsense sentences conveying different emotions
Acoustic parameters – frequency, intensity, & pitch

Question 17

Component Process Data –

Vocal Affect - Scherer, Banse, Wallbott, and Goldbeck (1991)

Answer 17

can hear emotion in vocalization
evolutionary purpose for acoustic parameters: across species can hear emotion
distinct vocal affect patterns for distinct emotions

Question 18

Component Process Data –

Physiological Arousal

Answer 18

ANS activity
James & Lange - distinct patterns of autonomic arousal
linked to discrete emotions

Question 19

Component Process Data –

Physiological Arousal - Stemmler et al. (2001)

Answer 19

Fear - increases in heart rate; contraction in heart
muscle and respiration‐rate
Anger - rise in blood pressure

Question 20

Component Process Data –

Physiological Arousal

Answer 20

components hang in obvious consistent recognizable ways
all are important - facial, physiological
Critiques: way we study these: can be biased
cultural differences

Question 21

Dimensional Accounts of the

Structure of Emotion

Answer 21

combinations of core dimensions lead to structure of
specific emotions
instead of component approach, focus on idea of core affect - experience of emotion

Question 22

Dimensional Accounts of the

Structure of Emotion

Answer 22

multidimensional scaling - find dimensions
Method: Rate similarities between emotion words +
strength of each at various moments

Question 23

Dimensional Accounts of the

Structure of Emotion

Answer 23

Pleasant vs. unpleasant: good‐bad, pleasure‐pain, approach‐avoid, rewarding‐punishing, positive‐negative
Activated vs. deactivated: arousal, tension, activity, energy…

Question 24

Dimensional Accounts of the

Structure of Emotion

Answer 24

blend of activation and valence
find all emotions when plotting
same network
how much arousal, valence determines emotions

Question 25

Circumplex Structure

Answer 25

Intercorrelated items distributed around dimensions because dependent on the axes no longer independent - unlike discrete disagreements among the axes

Question 26

``` Circumplex Structure ‐ Watson and Tellegen (1985) ```

Answer 26

monopolar | activation now correlated with high and low affect

Question 27

``` Circumplex Structure ‐ Watson and Tellegen (1985) ```

Answer 27

high positive affect: active, elated low positive affect: drowsy, dull low negative affect: at rest, calm high negative affect: distressed, fearful

Question 28

Dimensional Accounts of the | Structure of Emotion

Answer 28

Emotional feelings best described in terms of 2 (+) dimensions Feeling (core affect) aspect of emotions is primary

Question 29

Dimensional Accounts of the | Structure of Emotion

Answer 29

Contradicts theories requiring basic emotions to have distinct physiological responses “Basic” emotions psychologically and socially constructed, not evolved/universal

Question 30

Component Process Theory

Answer 30

importance of appraisal Basic emotions reflect combinations of diff appraisals on 4 dimensions: Pleasantness, control, arousal + unpredictability

Question 31

Component Process Theory | Lazarus (1991)

Answer 31

Anger = a demeaning offense against me + mine Disgust = taking in/being too close to an indigestible object/idea Fear = facing an immediate, concrete + overwhelming physical danger

Question 32

Component Process Theory | Lazarus (1991)

Answer 32

``` Sadness = having experienced an irrevocable loss Guilt = having transgressed a moral imperative Envy = wanting what someone else has ```

Question 33

Component Process Theory | Lazarus (1991)

Answer 33

Happiness = making reasonable progress toward realization of a goal Compassion = being moved by another’s suffering + wanting to help

Question 34

Component Process Theory | Lazarus (1991)

Answer 34

appraisals we want to take into consideration | if you know situation, you can guess emotion

Question 35

Component Process Theory: Anger

Answer 35

Widened eyes - unexpectedness Turned down corners of mouth - displeasure Furrowed brows - desire to change situation Tightened lips - sense of control

Question 36

Component Process Theory: Anger

Answer 36

if all in alignment - confident they are experiencing anger | just because we don’t see these all, doesn’t mean they aren’t angry

Question 37

Component Process Theory: Anger

Answer 37

given situation can show all of them (easily recognizable), a subset of them but if all show up, they happen 1 at a time

Question 38

Functional Accounts of Emotion ‐ | A. for the Individual

Answer 38

Adaptive function | Oatley and Johnson‐Laird’s (1987) cognitive theory:

Question 39

Functional Accounts of Emotion ‐ | A. for the Individual

Answer 39

Help coordinate mental activity in response to environmental challenges Specific emotions occur when goal attainment interrupted

Question 40

Functional Accounts of Emotion ‐ | A. for the Individual

Answer 40

fear: escape, vigilance info about our environment evocative element: make ppl do same thing, feel same way - evokes response

Question 41

Function of Emotions for the | Individual

Answer 41

incentive function: increase bond with others - making ppl laugh Oatley Laird - more basic emotional approach

Question 42

Function of Emotions for the | Individual

Answer 42

Happiness ‐ Keep doing what you’re doing Sadness ‐ Stay still/withdraw; search for a new plan Anxiety ‐ Stop and be vigilant; escape

Question 43

Function of Emotions for the | Individual

Answer 43

Anger ‐ Try harder/aggress Disgust ‐ Reject substance signals: tell you am i on track if not, tells you what to do

Question 44

Function of Emotions for the | Individual

Answer 44

Tooby and Cosmides’s (1990) evolutionary theory: Brain contains information‐processing programs Coordinate programs to accomplish major goals quickly/efficiently

Question 45

Function of Emotions for the | Individual

Answer 45

Emotions = superordinate mental/neural programs; prioritize/activate subroutine mental programs in response to situations related to reproductive success

Question 46

Function of Emotions for the | Individual

Answer 46

tell you can i survive, can i reproduce? emotions dictate priority make us act quickly - fear - survive activate fear program - deactivate other program

Question 47

Function of Emotions for the | Individual

Answer 47

basic emotion approach no one aspect is golden standard emotion entire package of affects when package is activated

Question 48

Function of Emotions – for the Dyad

Answer 48

Communication Mirror neurons help us feel what others feel pick up actions as if we are doing it ourselves

Question 49

Function of Emotions – for the Dyad: Dimberg (1982, 1988)

Answer 49

Presented Ps with pictures of angry/happy faces for ~ 8 ms know what they feel to know them + adapt to them and help them imitated them even if only seen for brief

Question 50

Function of Emotions – for the Dyad

Answer 50

Affective contagion Klinnert (1984): 12‐ + 18‐month old infants confronted with unfamiliar toy IV: Mothers reacted to toy w/ joy, fear, no emotion

Question 51

Function of Emotions – for the Dyad

Answer 51

DV: Compared to the neutral (control) condition: When the mother showed fear? When the mother showed joy?

Question 52

Function of Emotions – for the Dyad

Answer 52

gain info about our world through other ppl’s reaction informative function pick up on emotion + experience it too learn what is best reaction to emotion - comfort a sad person

Question 53

Function of Emotions – for the Dyad

Answer 53

signal state of desire/relationship love + sexual interest dominance + submissiveness

Question 54

Function of Emotions – for the Dyad

Answer 54

facial expressions signal power differentials hier position in that pair works in groups - leader expresses anger

Question 55

Function of Emotions – for the Group

Answer 55

``` Groups - social coordination Ostracize/exclude someone from group social death - so upsetting used to keep ppl in line shame triggers you to act in line ```

Question 56

Function of Emotions – for the Group

Answer 56

make behaviour socially sanctioned reaccepted Convey position

Question 57

Function of Emotions – for the Group

Answer 57

shared positivity creates bonds negative emotions also bring us together want to be with others who share emotions

Question 58

Function of Emotions – for the Group

Answer 58

convey position: power | elicit awe, embarassement