Module4a - The Feeling Mind PDF

THE FEELING MIND Emotions and Motivation PSY100 – Introduction to Psychology Department of Psychology SAN BEDA UNIVERSITY How are you feeling today? Basic emotions Emotion Psychologists usually define it in terms of a combination of cognitions, physiology, feelings, and action...

THE FEELING MIND Emotions and Motivation PSY100 – Introduction to Psychology Department of Psychology SAN BEDA UNIVERSITY How are you feeling today? Basic emotions Emotion Psychologists usually define it in terms of a combination of cognitions, physiology, feelings, and actions (Keltner & Shiota, 2003; Plutchick, 1982). For the way most people use the term emotion, the key component is the feeling. Emotion is a combination of arousal, physical sensations and subjective feelings that occurs spontaneously towards in response to environmental stimuli. Mood is a more general state than an emotion; it lasts longer than a single emotion. What are the basic emotions?  As ever, theorists disagree. Ortony and Turner (1990) collated a wide range of research on identification of basic emotions. Theorist Basic Emotions Acceptance, anger, anticipation, disgust, joy, fear, sadness, Plutchik surprise Anger, aversion, courage, dejection, desire, despair, fear, hate, Arnold hope, love, sadness Ekman, Friesen, and Anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, surprise Ellsworth Frijda Desire, happiness, interest, surprise, wonder, sorrow Gray Rage and terror, anxiety, joy Anger, contempt, disgust, distress, fear, guilt, interest, joy, Izard shame, surprise James Fear, grief, love, rage McDougall Anger, disgust, elation, fear, subjection, tender-emotion, wonder Mowrer Pain, pleasure Oatley and Johnson- Anger, disgust, anxiety, happiness, sadness Laird Panksepp Expectancy, fear, rage, panic Anger, interest, contempt, disgust, distress, fear, joy, shame, Tomkins The Crucial Importance of Emotion It’s not true that better decisions are made without the influence of emotions, despite vast pop culture lore promoting this idea. Brain damaged people whose emotions are impaired become poor decision- makers. Emotions powerfully inform our decisions, and are closely related to motivation. The Nature of Emotion Measuring Emotions Measuring emotion is challenging. Each method has strengths and weaknesses. Self-reports are fast and easy but have questionable accuracy. Behavioral observations - especially of facial expressions - are useful. Facial emotions can be suppressed but micro-expressions can be very revealing. Physiological measures use autonomic nervous activity. These are harder to control but their meaning is ambiguous. Emotional Regulation https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1C3VTxi_qIV8- MBbAyUP2W0sUuBd8E8CxUrgZTxM_FWM/edit Excitement and Physiological Arousal The role of the autonomic nervous system It controls the functioning of the internal organs. It has two subdivisions, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The Autonomic Nervous System The sympathetic nervous system Made up of two chains of neuron clusters to the left and right of the spinal cord. It increases the heart rate, breathing rate, production of sweat, and flow of adrenaline. It prepares the body for intense activity, “fight or flight” and other high energy behaviors. It is the “crisis management” center. The Autonomic Nervous System cont. The parasympathetic nervous system Consists of neurons with axons extending out from the medulla and the lower spinal cord. The axons connect to neuron clusters near the internal organs. It’s the long-term survival center, promoting rest by decreasing heart rate, digestion, and other functions that keep an organism healthy and alive. The Autonomic Nervous System cont. The two divisions of the ANS Both systems alternate in activity. Shifting between the two systems keeps the body in a balanced condition - homeostasis. Emergencies activate the sympathetic nervous system, but involve some parasympathetic activity (i.e., being frightened causes an individual to lose bowel or bladder control). Autonomic responses aren’t directly controlled, but can be influence through thought and behavior – as with athletes who control breathing and focus their concentration for improved aim. The Autonomic Nervous System cont. The Opponent-Process Principle of Emotions  After sympathetic nervous system activity slows parasympathetic activity increases.  Removal of a stimulus that excites one emotion causes a swing to an opposite emotion. The initial emotion is the “A” state, and the rebound emotion is the “B” state.  With repetition of the cycle, the A state becomes weaker, and the B state is prolonged and strengthened. Emotion, Arousal, and Action Which comes first, the psychological experience of emotion or the physiological arousal? The James-Lange Theory of Emotions Two early psychologists, working independently, came up with an alternative explanation of how emotion and physiological reactions are related.  The theory proposes that a person’s interpretation of a stimulus directly evokes autonomic changes.  The psychological experience of emotion is the individual’s perception of those changes. The James-Lange Theory of Emotions You decide you are happy because you are smiling, sad because you are frowning and tears are forming in your eyes. The reactions are not enough to produce the emotions, but full experience of the emotions is impossible without them. Effects of decreased perceived arousal Some medical conditions cause people to feel little physiological arousal. In pure autonomic failure the ANS stops regulating the internal organs. People who suffer from it recognize situations that call for strong emotions (fear, elation) but they report that their emotions are much less intense. This is what the James-Lange theory predicts. Cannon-Bard Theory Walter Cannon, modified by Philip Bard, proposes that both factors of physical sensations and subjective feeling occur simultaneously and independently. Example: The sight of a bear would immediately and simultaneously trigger a subjective feeling of fear and physical sensations (probably the autonomic nervous system’s fight-or-flight response) Schachter And Singer’s Theory of Emotions Proposes that the physiological state is not the same as the emotion. The intensity of the physiological reaction determines only the intensity of the emotion, not the type of emotion. Schachter And Singer’s Theory of Emotions A person’s cognitive appraisal of the situation that determines the emotion experienced. Research studies based on the theory leave some unanswered questions about the contribution of physiological arousal to the intensity of the emotional states. Catharsis A theory of emotion that views emotion as reservoir that fills up and spills over; it predicts that expressing an emotion will reduce arousal. Common sense dictates that one feels sad and therefore one cries, one feels happy and then laughs. Contemporary Approaches Somatovisceral afference model of emotion (SAME) – different emotional states produce physical responses ranging from specific to ambiguous. Ambiguous responses require more appraisal than specific responses before a subjective feeling is identified. SAME provides a middle ground between the James-Lange Theory and Schachter and Singer Theories. If a physical response is only partially specific, an ambiguous message is sent forward that is clarified by the presence of additional cues or information. Appraisal theory – the detection and assessment of stimuli that are relevant to personal well-being. The Usefulness of Emotions Emotions would have not evolved were they not informative. They adjust our priorities and focus attention on important information. The broaden-and-build hypothesis of positive emotions states that happy moods increase readiness to explore new ideas and opportunities. Mildly sad moods increase the accuracy of judgment and decision-making. The Usefulness of Emotions Emotions influence moral decisions. Using the Trolley Dilemma and Footbridge Dilemma, problems involving decisions about letting a small number of people die to save a larger number, provide evidence that emotions play a powerful role in deciding the most moral course of action. Good decision-making is thought to require a great degree of emotional control, hence the familiar advice to remain calm and rational faced with big decisions. This is not entirely true. Only extreme emotions interfere with decision- making. Some degree of emotionality is needed for good decision-making. Decisions by People with Impaired Emotions Case studies of brain damaged patients suggest that the ability to experience and express emotions plays a key role in important life and moral decisions. The case of Phineas Gage and Antonio Damasio’s case study of “Elliot” provide evidence that feeling distinctly good or bad is crucial to achieve the best outcome in important decisions. Emotional Intelligence The ability to perceive, imagine and understand emotions and to use them in decision-making. The concept has gained a great deal of popularity over the past decades, in psychology and related fields. The evidence for its existence is still not strong. Measuring this construct poses significant challenges. In constructing questions for a test of emotional intelligence, too often the best answer might be “it depends.” It’s an interesting idea, but requires further and better research. Emotional Intelligence Definition Motivation is the process of activating, maintaining and directing behavior toward a particular goal. It is the “why” of our behavior. Motives – are thoughts, feelings or condition that arouse, maintain and direct the behavior toward a goal. Homeostasis – process of maintaining internal equilibrium which is keeping the body’s metabolic and chemical processes in good functioning order thus keeping us alive and in good health. CLASSIFICATION OF MOTIVES 1. Physiological Motives – are those that arise from the needs of the body a. Hunger b. Thirst c. Sleep d. Air Hunger e. Cold & Warmth f. Pain Avoidance g. Elimination Drive Classification 2. Social Motives – grow out of our relationship with others a.Achievement b.Altruism c.Affiliation d.Social Approval e.Status 3. Sex Drive – neither physiological nor social Theories of Motivation A. Biological Theories: 1. Instinct Theory – “they naturally act that way” - William James - Humans have rigid and fixed motor response patterns that are not learned and have an inherited, genetic foundation established in the course of evolution. 2. Drive-reduction Theory – - Clark Hull - Motivation begins with a physiological need (lack or deficiency) that elicits a psychological energy or drive directed toward behavior that will satisfy the need. Once the need is met, a state of balanced (homeostasis) is restored and motivation decreases Theories of Motivation B. Psychological Theories: 1.Incentive Theory -External stimuli pull the person to a certain direction -Rewards like recognition, money, etc. pull the person to behave towards the goal. 2. Cognitive Theory -Emphasizes thought processes in goal-directed behavior -Behavior is attributed to certain causes -Ex. High grade was achieved because the subject is interesting or the teacher is kind -Expectancies would drive the person to behave in certain ways -Ex. Promotion made him finish his MA degree C. Interactionism: 1.Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs -Lower needs must be fulfilled before advancing to higher level needs -Pyramid illustration shows five (5) levels where the lowest has the biggest in quantity and to be addressed first before going up -Partial satisfaction can lead to the individual to advance to the next level Hierarchy Of Needs 1. Physiological – hunger, thirst and maintenance of internal state of the body 2. Safety – to feel secure and safe, to seek pleasure and avoid pain 3. Belongingness and love – to affiliate with others, be accepted and give and receive attention 4. Esteem – to achieve, be competent, gain approval and excel 5. Self-Actualization – to find self-fulfillment and realize one potential Unconscious Motivation It is when we do certain things but do not know why we do them, Motives are not clearly defined. In the Psychoanalytic Theory, it is attributed to some repressed memory, thought or feeling. When we feel uncomfortable, or even guilty about certain feelings or thoughts, we remove them from our conscious awareness and perforce drive them to the level of the subconscious. Therefore, they are not remembered consciously but influence our behavior sometimes. Signs of Unconscious motivation: 1.There is denial in the output of his behavior 2.Manifestation of signs of emotional tension without acknowledging them 3.Presence of inconsistencies, in behavior at different times.