Unit 5.2 Emotions

Question 1

Which are the components of emotions

Answer 1

feelings
bodily changes
action tendencies

Question 2

Why are emotions important for personality psychology?

Answer 2

emotions are useful to distinguish among people
understanding why people differ in emotional reactions is part of understanding personality

Question 3

What are emotional states?

Answer 3

transitory
specific cause(usually originating outside the person)

Question 4

What are emotional traits?

Answer 4

pattern of emotional reactions that a person consistently experiences across a variety of life situations

Question 5

categorical approach

Answer 5

emotions as a small number of primary and distinct emotions
different criteria for defining emotions as primary

Question 6

Is the concept of primary emotions equally accepted as the big 5 or HEXACO models?

Answer 6

no, theres no scientific consensus on primary emotions as there is with traits

Question 7

Dimensional approach

Answer 7

empirical research
subjects rate themselves on variety of emotions, researchers apply statistical techniques to identify basic dimensions
two primary dimensions; pleasantness & arousal

Question 8

content of emotional life

Answer 8

specific kind of emotion
pleasant vs unpleasant

Question 9

style of emotional life

Answer 9

the way in which emotions are experienced
high vs low activation

Question 10

two components of emotions

Answer 10

cognitive/ life-satisfaction component; judgements that ones life has meaning affective/ hedonic component; ratio of positive vs negative emotions averaged over time

Question 11

easterlin paradox

Answer 11

happiness varies with income across nations, but over time happiness does not tend to increase with income

Question 12

What conclusion can we draw from the easterlin paradox ?

Answer 12

being able to meet basic needs of life appears crucial