Emotions: Experiencing Happiness, Sadness, and Anger PDF

EMOTION PART 2 Experiencing Emotions 1. Fear 2. Anger and Sadness 3. Happiness: Can it be increased? Predictors Invest in Happiness 4. Practice Questions Music: Shiny Happy People R.E.M....

EMOTION PART 2 Experiencing Emotions 1. Fear 2. Anger and Sadness 3. Happiness: Can it be increased? Predictors Invest in Happiness 4. Practice Questions Music: Shiny Happy People R.E.M. Happy by Pharrell Williams  EXPERIENCING EMOTIONS 1. Fear: Can paralyze Can also lead to adaptive response Conditioning and observational learning explain acquisition of fears (mediated by amygdala)  2. SADNESS & ANGER Sadness: Perceived loss, abandonment What do you miss? Anger: Perceived offense involving a responsible agent. Hostile outbursts often lead to escalations Brewing/holding-in also detrimental Communicate once you can refrain from attacking the other Assert how you feel and what you need Try to see it from the other’s perspective FORGIVENESS?  3. HAPPINESS: CAN IT BE INCREASED? Aristotle “Happiness depends upon ourselves”  Abraham Lincoln: “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be” Buddha: “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world” Martha Washington: “I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances” Csikszentmihalyi’s “Whether we are happy depends on inner harmony, not the control we are able to exert over the great forces of the universe”  3. HAPPINESS Happy Moods: Lead to greater productivity, better relationships, altruism, resilience and creativity Hedonic vs Eudaimonic Happiness Is Becoming Happier Realizable? 50% genetically determined 10% circumstances 40% intentional activities What Happiness is NOT: Fame and fortune Attractiveness, IQ Age, parenthood  3. HAPPINESS Would money not make you happier? Levels of happiness tend to be stable, and external events have short-turn impact E.g. After some time, lottery winners are not much happier than paraplegics E.g. Average American is three times as rich as he was in the 60’s but no happier But modest splurges can bring a lot of happiness if spent wisely!  3. HAPPINESS Strong Predictors: Love E.g. Married people report higher levels of happiness Work Satisfaction Substantial association with general happiness Personality and temperament 50% or more heritable, but not genetically fixed  3. HAPPINESS Moderate Predictors: Health Particularly important later in life Social Activity Strong personal relationships foster better health and mood Religion Provides meaning Comfort and support Significant in times of stress  3. INVEST IN HAPPINESS Nurture your relationships Practice empathy (oxytocin) Find love Find meaning and purpose in your life Make life better for others Work on your outlook: Don’t compare yourself to others Look forward: Set daily goals don’t dwell on your setbacks Take care of your body  THE PROFOUND IMPORTANCE OF INTERCONNECTION Somewhere, an orangutan became BFF with a dog OTTERS HOLD HANDS WHILE SLEEPING SO THEY DON’T FLOAT APART SOME WINDOW WASHERS AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS SURPRISE THE KIDS BY DRESSING UP LIKE SUPERHEROES  PRACTICE QUESTION #1 According to parental investment theory, what should women place more emphasis on when choosing a potential mate, compared to men? a. height b. attractiveness c. youthfulness d. social status Answer d.  PRACTICE QUESTION #2 A rapid-response pathway that quickly results in physiological responses associated with emotion begins with the thalamus. Where does it go from there? a. medulla b. amygdala c. cerebellum d. cerebral cortex Answer b.  PRACTICE QUESTION #3 Which of the following factors shows the weakest relationship with happiness? a. money b. health c. social activity d. love and marriage Answer a.  PRACTICE QUESTION #4 What is the brain’s reaction to ostracism? a. increased activity in regions associated with pain b. decreased activity in regions associated with sexual thoughts c. increased activity in regions associated with higher cognitive processing d. decreased activity in regions associated with neuroticism Answer: a.  PRACTICE QUESTION #5 Which characteristic is NOT likely to be found in individuals high in achievement motivation? a. tendency to select the hardest tasks b. tendency to delay gratification c. future orientation d. persistence Answer a.  PRACTICE QUESTION #6 Which variable would be considered the best predictor of happiness? a. intelligence b. health c. money d. personality Answer: d.