Week 9 – Emotion PDF

WEEK 9 – EMOTION Emotion is usually temporary, alters thought processes and triggers action tendency to act in certain ways Emotion – transitory positive or negative experiences that are felt as happening to the self, are generated in part of cognitive appraisal of a situation, a...

WEEK 9 – EMOTION Emotion is usually temporary, alters thought processes and triggers action tendency to act in certain ways Emotion – transitory positive or negative experiences that are felt as happening to the self, are generated in part of cognitive appraisal of a situation, and are accompanied by both learnt and innate physical responses. Activity in the limbic system, particularly the amygdala is central to emotion. Thalamus & cerebral cortex also. Emotions can activate either the sympathetic nervous system or parasympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic nervous system relates to fight or flight response William James peripheral theory – activity in the peripheral nervous system is the cause of emotional experience. Eg. See a snake and run but are scared because you ran not because you saw a snake. First a perception affects the cerebral cortex. Brain interprets a situation and automatically directs a particular set of peripheral physiological changes. Canons central theory – opposite to peripheral theory, emotional experience starts in the CNS; specifically in the thalamus. Experience of emotion appears directly in the brain, with or without feedback from peripheral responses. Thalamus received information, sends to Autonomic nervous system & cerebral cortex. Cognitive theories of emotion Schachter-singer theory – emotions emerge from a combination of feedback from peripheral responses and our cognitive interpretation of the nature and cause of those responses. The same physiological responses might be given different labels depedning on how you interpret those responses. Involves attribution and excitation transfer theory Attribution – the process of explaining the causes of an event or of peoples behaviour including your own. Excitation transfer theory – the theory that physiological arousal stemming from one situation carried over to and enhances emotional experience in an independent situation. Eg. People who have just exercised will become angrier when provoked Lazarus’ cognitive appraisal theory – the process of cognitive appaisal/evaluation beginss when we decide whether or not an event is relevant to our wellbeing. Eg. Do we even care about it Theory Source of emotions Example Cannon - central The brain generates direct Stimulation of certain brain experiences of emotion areas can create pleasant or unpleasant emotions James- Lange peripheral Emotions are created by Anger is associated with awareness of specific ncreased blood flow in the patterns of peripheral hands and feet; fear is autonomic) responses associated with decreased blood flow in these areas Cognitive – Schachter- Cognitive interpretations of Autonomic arousal can be Singer; Lazarus events and of physiological experienced as anxiety or reactions to them shape excitement, depending on emotional experiences. how it is labelled. A single Emotions emerge from a event can lead to different combination of feedback fromemotions, depending on peripheral responses and ourwhether it is perceived as cognitive interpretation of the hreatening or challenging nature and cause of those responses Communicating emotion Expression of emotion Theory Key findings nnate expressions of Darwin argues for universality nfants show evidence of emotions of facial expression; that is, emotions in facial hat emotional expressions expressions. Cultural are genetically determined evidence also suggests that and passed on biologically here are basic facial rom one generation to the emotional expressions across next different groups of people Social and cultural t is argued that not all While some emotional nfluences on emotional emotional expressions are expressions are the same expression nnate or universal. Some areacross cultures, they can be earnt and some change nterpreted differently. People depending on social earn about cultural rules of situations and interactions emotion expression QUESTIONS Emotions are temporary experiences with positive, negative, or mixed qualities The autonomic nervous system is involved in many of the physiological changes that accompany emotions The sympathetic nervous system helps prepare the body to combat or run from a threat The process of attribution is most important to cognitive theories of emotions The use of polygraphs in lie detection is based on the physiological theory of emotions. Research showing that there are pleasure centers in the brain has been cited in support of the biological theory of emotions. The emotions of sadness, anger, and happiness have all been shown to have universal facial expressions to specific emotional stimuli.