Theories of Emotion

Question 1

James-Lange Theory

Answer 1

This theory emphasizes the physiological determinants of emotion. According to this view, different patterns of autonomic activation lead to the experience of different emotions. Hence, people supposedly distinguish emotions such as fear, joy, and anger on the basis of the exact configuration of physical reactions they experience.

Question 2

Cannon-Bard Theory

Answer 2

Cannon-Bard theory argues that emotion occurs when the thalamus sends signals simultaneously to the cortex (creating the conscious experience of emotion) and the autonomic nervous system (creating visceral arousal)

Question 3

Schachter’s Two-Factory Theory

Answer 3

According to Schachter the experience of emotion depends on two factors : (1) autonomic arousal and (cognitive interpretation of that arousal.

Schachter proposed that when you experience visceral arousal, you search you environment for an explanation.

Schachter agreed with the James-Lange view that emotion is inferred from arousal. However, he also agreed with the Cannon-Bard position that different emotions yield indistinguishable patterns of arousal. He reconciled these views by arguing that people look to external rather than internal cues to differentiate and label their specific emotions.

Question 4

Evolutionary theories of emotion

Answer 4

Charles Darwin theorized that emotions developed because of their adaptive value.

These evolutionary theories consider emotions to be largely innate reactions to certain stimuli. As such, emotions should be immediately recognizable under most conditions without much thought.

Evolutionary theorists believe that emotion evolved before thought. They assert that though plays a relatively small role in emotion, although they admit that learning and cognition may have some influence on human emotions.

Evolutionary theories also assume that evolution has equipped humans with a smaller number of innate emotions with prove adaptive values.

Question 5

Happiness

Answer 5

• common sense notions incorrect
  - income, age, parenthood, intelligence, adn attractiveness largely uncorrelated (very weak correlations)
  - physical health, good social relationships, religious faith, and culture modestly correlated (Presence of these variables, you are more likely to be happy)
  - love, marriage, work satisfaction, and personality strongly correlated (strongly correlated by marriage (partnership))
• subjective rather than objective reality important