The social and emotional brain Flashcards
Emotion
A state associated with stimuli that are rewarding (i.e., that one works to obtain) or punishing (i.e., that one works to avoid). These stimuli often have an inherent survival value.
Mentalizing
The process of inferring or attributing mental states to others.
Mirroring
The process of sharing the emotions or mental states of others.
Mood
An emotional state that is extended over time (e.g., anxiety is a mood and fear is an emotion).
Expression
External motor outcomes in the face and body associated with emotional states.
James-Lange theory
The self-perception of bodily changes produces emotional experience (e.g., one is sad because one cries).
Cannon-Bard theory
Theory centered on the hypothalamus’ role in emotions in which bodily responses occur after the emotion itself.
Papez circuit
A limbic-based circuit that was once thought to constitute a largely undifferentiated ‘‘emotional’’ brain.
Basic emotions
Different categories of emotions assumed to be independent of culture and with their own biological basis (in terms of evolution and neural substrate).
Moral emotions
Emotions that are related to the behavior of oneself (in relation to others) or the behavior of others (in relation to oneself or others).
Amygdala
Part of the limbic system, implicated in learning the emotional value of stimuli (e.g., in fear conditioning).
Kluver-Bucy syndrome
In monkeys after bilateral amygdala and temporal lesions, an unusual tameness and emotional blunting; a tendency to examine objects with the mouth; and dietary changes.
Skin conductance response (SCR)
Changes in electrical conductivity on a person’s skin, triggered by certain stimuli (e.g., emotional or familiar stimuli).
Insula
A region of cortex buried beneath the temporal lobe; involved in body perception and contains the primary gustatory cortex; responds to disgust.
Interoception
A sensory system for monitoring the internal state of the body (e.g., heart rate).
