Theories and Physiology of Emotion AP Psychology Module 41
Theories of Emotion Use your textbook to research the 5 theories of emotion and examples of each. Note the time difference in the research our understanding of emotion has changed as science has given us greater understanding of our brains and bodies.
Theories of Emotion James-Lange Theory (late 1890s) Cannon-Bard Theory (Early 1900s) Explanation Example Explanation Example The James-Lange theory would suggest that upon seeing the loved one, the bodily response of racing heart, perspiration, and increased body temperature would cause the emotion of love. The stimulus of seeing your loved one produces a feeling of love. The Cannon- Bard theory would dispute that. It would suggest that the increased physiological responses occur separately but simultaneously, so the heart pounding occurs as the love feeling is experienced. The stimulus of seeing your loved one produces a feeling of love.
Theories of Emotion Schachter and Singer s Two-Factor Theory (1962) Explanation Example Explanation Zajonc (1980s) and LeDoux (early 2000s) Example Cognitive appraisal how we interpret the physiological response was added. Order of occurrence: stimulus, physiological arousal, cognitive label, emotion We may interpret our arousal as fear or excitement, depending on the context. They suggest a lowroad pathway that bypasses the cortex. They suggest that in some instances, especially with simple likes, dislikes, and fears, our emotional response occurs before any intellectual cognition takes place. We automatically feel startled by a sound in the forest before labeling it as a threat.
Theories of Emotion Lazarus (1990s) Explanation Cognitive appraisal sometimes without our awareness defines emotion. Example The sounds is just the wind.
Briefly summarize Schachter and Singer s experiment with epinephrine in the waiting room. What is the key component that causes participants to create the label for the emotion they are experiencing? College men were injected with epinephrine, which triggers feelings of arousal. They go into a waiting room where an accomplice is acting either euphoric or irritated; as they observe this person, they begin to feel their heart race, body flush, and breathing increase. Those who had been told of the epinephrine effects attributed the physiological changes to the drug. Those who had NOT been told of epinephrine effects attributed the physiological changes to the euphoric or irritated mood/vibe in the room. Arousal fuels emotion, cognition channels it.
Emotions and the Autonomic Nervous System Sympathetic Nervous System (MOBILIZES) pupils dilate salivation decreases skin perspires respiration increases heart accelerates digestion inhibits adrenal glands secrete stress hormones immune system functioning is reduced Parasympathetic Nervous System (CALMS) pupils contract salivation increases skin dries respiration decreases heart slows digestion activates adrenal glands decrease secretion of stress hormones immune system functioning is enhanced
Yerkes-Dodson Model (Stress and Performance Relationship) Performance peaks at lower levels of arousal for difficult tasks and higher levels for easy or welllearned tasks.
Physiology of Emotions Describe the relationship between different emotions and the following brain stimulations Insula Amygdala Prefrontal Cortex Frontal Lobe The insula is activated when we experience various social emotions such as lust, pride, and disgust. Compared with those watching angry faces, those watching fearful faces show more activity in their amygdala. When experiencing negative emotions such as disgust, the right prefrontal cortex is more active than the left. Depressionprone people and those with generally negative personalities show more right frontal lobe activity
Physiology of Emotion Facial Feature Changes Fear and joy affect the heart similarly but stimulate different facial muscles; fear causes brow muscles to tense, while joy causes eye and cheek muscles to pull into a smile. Physiological Responses Physiological arousal is much the same from one emotion to another.
Polygraph Tests What do they measure? They measure emotion-linked changes in breathing, cardiovascular activity, and perspiration. What are the arguments against the effectiveness of them? Physiological arousal is much the same from one emotion to another: Anxiety, irritation, and guilt all produce similar physiological reactivity. Many innocent people respond with heightened tension due to the situation. Why are they so popular on TV if evidence shows them to be so wrong?
PsychSim 5 Complete the two PsychSims related to emotion Expressing Emotion Catching Liars