Psyc3004 - Advanced Social Psychology - P1: Emotions Flashcards
What are the 4 perspectives on the psychology of emotion? (discussed in class?)
Darwinian, Jamesian, Cognitive, Social Constructivist
Do psychologist studying emotions tend to focus on state or trait emotions?
Temporary states, not enduring states.
It is important to distinguish between having an emotion and “being emotional” the latter of which has a negative connotation.
What is the difference between an emotion, mood and affect?
An emotion usually has an ‘object’, a mood does not require a ‘object’.
A mood can be generally negative/positive and involve many emotions, whereas emotions are more discrete.
Affect includes moods, emotions; likes and dislikes, and pleasures.
What reactions etc do emotions consist of/include
Subjective experience, physiological reactions, cognitions, behaviour, expressive reactions.
Emotions serve important functions!!
Do you think emotions are a personal/private experience, or do they result from interactions with others? (or a combination!)
No answer here, but think about it! Because these are two ways of looking at emotions.
What were Darwin’s 3 main research methods?
Darwin employed three main research methods: observation (of certain people/species), survey-based methods and photos/pictures in ‘judgement tasks’.
Why did Darwin study the insane, non-human animals (particularly primates) and children?
Darwin believed that the evolutionary history of expressions was most evident in these groups because they were examples of an earlier stage in human evolution. As a result Darwin’s method’s often involved observing behaviour and drawing conclusions. For example, Darwin kept meticulous notes of his son’s development.
How and why did Darwin do survey-based research on emotions?
Darwin was particularly interested in researching the universality of expressions, as this would provide evidence for their evolutionary origins.
He utilised survey-based methods, sending questionnaires to missionaries working with non-Europeans (‘savages’ in the vernacular of the time). He broadly defined expressive behaviours in his questionnaires, for example “Is astonishment expressed by the eyes and mouth being opened wide, and by the eyebrows being raised?.” Unfortunately the validity of the results questionable because of their anecdotal and culturally bias nature.
Who pioneered ‘judgement tasks’? What is a judgement task?
Darwin pioneered the use of these ‘judgement tasks’ in the study of emotions.
Darwin compared photos of insane and normal people’s expressions.
For the ‘judgement task’ he showed the photos to small groups of people and asked them to judge what the expression was.
What is the darwinian principle of “Servicable associated habits” ?
That ‘emotional’ expressions resemble and originate from serviceable (useful) behavioural habits.
For example, the expression for disgust resembles spitting – a behaviour useful for expelling potentially toxic items (In this sense, expressions are similar to intention movements, in that they are a small piece of a complex set of behaviours that signal an animal’s readiness to engage in that behaviour).
What is the Darwinian principle of antithesis?
That some actions are carried out merely because they are opposite in nature to a serviceable habit, but are not serviceable themselves. For example, a dog’s passive behaviour when it is told off is the opposite of a confident or aggressive expression.
What ‘principle of nervous discharge from the nervous system’?
That some habits (e.g., vocal expression, anger, and finger-tapping) are performed because of a build-up in the nervous system that causes a discharge of the excitement.
What are the three principles of Darwins theory of emotional expression?
- The principle of serviceable associated habits
- The principle of antithesis
- The principle of nervous discharge from the nervous system
What perspective/s of emotions did Ekman take?
Darwinian/Jamesian
What are Ekman’s ‘big six’ (universal) emotions?
Bonus thoughts: Do you think some emotions are ‘universal’?
Ekmans big 6 - Happiness, Sadness, Suprise, Fear, Anger, Disgust (SH FADS)
What specific aspect of expression did Carroll Izards and Paul Ekaman’s focus on?
What were their views on these particular expressions?
Facial Expressions.
That facial expressions are universal.
Describe Ekman’s “3 photo’s, 1 story’ study?
Between what % did Ekman find people got the ‘correct’ answer?
Participants are presented with 3 photos along with a story. Participants were asked to match the story with the expression that that story would ellicit.
64%-100% correct for both westerners and non-westerners - with the exception of fear and suprise, possibly due to cultural differences.
Name a few contemporary psychologists working under the Darwinian perspective.
Paul Eckman, Carol Izard, Nico Frijda
What does FACS stand for?
Who came up with FACS?
What IS FACS?
Facials Action Coding System (FACS)
Paul Eckman
Specifies the movement/position of facial muscles for expressos by assigning numerical values (e.g., m61 = eyes up; m62 = eyes down)
The idea being that each emotional expression has its own combination of numbers for contraction of muscles.
According to Ekman, what are “display rules”?
Bonus (unmarked): give an example.
Culture specific rules for what emotions are ok and not ok to express.
What are some criticisms of the Darwinian perspective?
What is a specific critique of Ekman’s view on expressions?
(Different display rules, experience? social nature? Validity of 100% emotions)
- Cultures differ in display rules even on basic emotions, this could be due to actual difference in expression. e.g smile can mean ‘happy’ or ‘anger/embaressment’
- The claim that expressions ARE emotions (particularly in Ekman’s view) neglects the experience of emotions.
- Neglect of the social nature of humans
- Validity of using photos that generall express 100% emotions
Ekaman did not explain (though Darwin did) HOW the universal expressions helped human survival.
What are “action tendencies”? (Nico Frijda)
States of readiness to respond with actions.
e.g., fear –> avoidance, anger –> attack
How does Nico Frijda’s theory of emotions similar and different from Darwin?
Similar: believes that expressions have an adaptive function.
Different: believes that the ‘adaptive function’ can be communicative.
What would Nico Frijda say the ‘adaptive function’ of protection? and Attack?
The adaptive function of avoidance is protection.
The adaptive function of attack is regaining control.
How would Ekman (in the darwinian perspective) describe ‘fear’?
As a facial expression.
- Widening eyes
- Raising upper eyelid
- Tensing lower eyelid
- Opening mouth with mouth-courners drawn back
How would ekman in the Jamesian perspective describe experiencing the emotion of ‘fear’?
A pattern of the ANS
- Increase heartrate
- Decreased skin temperature
How would Arnold (in the cognitive perspective) describe how fear is evoked?
from an appraisal of harm that must be avoided
How would Roseman (in the cognitive perspective) describe how fear is evoked?
situation is beyond control, it is in conflict with one’s goals….but the outcome is uncertain.
How would Ekman (in the darwinian perspective) describe ‘anger’?
Facial expressions
- Drawn together eyebrows
- tensed eyelids
- either lip-pressed-against-lip or open square mouth
How would ekman in the Jamesian perspective describe experiencing the emotion of ‘anger’?
Pattern of ANS
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure;
- higher skin temperature compared to fear
How would Arnold (in the cognitive perspective) describe how anger is evoked?
When someone appraises the situation as frustrating
appraisal of a harm that is frustrating.
How would Roseman (in the cognitive perspective) describe how anger is evoked?
Situation that is caused by other, conflicts with one’s goals, but oneself is strong.
How can ‘hope’ be described in the jamesian and darwinian perspective?
(including Ekman)
Darwin and james don’t reference it. It is not considered a basic emotion.
Ekman: hope does not have a distinct facial expression.
How would Arnold (in the cognitive perspective) describe the evoking of ‘hope’?
- Appraisal that advantage object is not availiable, but is achievable.
How would Roseman (in the cognitive perspective) describe the evoking of ‘hope’?
Says hope is a positive emotion.
Situation that is beyond control, consistent of foals, uncertain.
How would Lazarus (in the cognitive perspective) describe the evoking of ‘hope’?
Says hope is a negative emotions
Situation is relevant to your goals, but it is incongruent with your goals (because you don’t have it yet).
Secondly, there is an appraisal of an uncertain future expectation.
Can cognitive, darwinian and jamesian perspectives be combined?
(Specifically: Ekman, Arnold and Lazarus)
The theorists often acknowledge one another’s views, but are not well integrated. The theories work best when combined as levels of organisation. In that they all contribute, in their own ways, to the study of emotions
(BIOLOGICAL level) Ekman acknowledges a tiny tiny amount of cognitive ‘appraisals’ in his theory of emotions (i.e “fear is a reaction to internal or external environmental that signal danger)
+
(COGNITION level) Arnold agrees that emotions are accompanied by physiological reactions (but they occur last)
Lazarus acknowledges physical expression, says it is a systematic relationship between cognitions and physiology.
+
(SOCIAL influence level)
What are the levels of organisation regarding the different perspectives in the science of emotions?
Biological level, Cognitive level, Social level
According to James, how do we experience emotion? (the order)
Perception -> bodily changes -> emotion
e.g., See lion -> tremble -> fear
bodily changes ARE emotions
How is James’ theory similar to Darwin, how is it different?
Similarity: adaptive function of emotional expression
Difference: James focused on the experience of emotions (as expression), whereas Darwin focused on the expression alone.
How is Lange’s theory similar and disimilar to James theory of emotion?
Why is ‘james-lange’ theory of emotion known by that name?
They are similar in thinking that percerption leads to bodily changes which in turn is ‘feeling’ an emotion.
Danish psychologist Carl Lange also arrived upon a similar theory shortly after James - which is why the theory is known as James-Lange.
However, whilst Lange focused specifically on visceral (changes in blood vessel contractions) ‘bodily changes’, James referred to ‘bodily changes’ more generally (or vaguely!) as derived from a variety of bodily sources.
What two kinds of pathologies did James study and what types of illness (mental or physical) or situations did he focus on?
(i.e., research methods of James)
- Unmotivated emotions - panic attacks/fear disorders
- Inability to experience bodily feeling - spinal cord damage and anestetic
What evidence for the James-Lange theory was found in surveys on spinal-cord damage sufferers?
What results were found in patients under anestetic?
Why do these results not ‘prove’ James-Lange theory?
- Participants with lower spinal cord damage experienced more anger, more happiness and more ANS activity.
- Participants with higher spinal cord damage experienced less anger, less happiness and less ANS activity.
Patients under anestetic could still experience emotions.
Because despite some evidence, all were still experiencing emotions.
Name the four self-conscious emotions?
- Pride
- Guilt
- Shame
- Embaressment
What is another name given to “self-conscious” emotions?
“Moral-emotions”
What are the three requirements of self-conscious emotions?
- Awareness of the self
- Awareness of the emotions of others (Theory of Mind)
- Awareness of social norms
Around what age does embaressment develop?
18 months - 2years
Around what age does shame/guilt develop?
4-5years
