Emotion

1. Emotion

2. Emotion • It is at the heart of who we are as people • It often is a reflection of our mental state • We are going to look at different theories that try to explain how and why we have emotions

3. Emotion • Emotion involves … • feeling, thinking, activation of the nervous system, and behavioral changes such as facial expressions • Emotions can differ in intensity and quality • Emotions can differ from culture and gender

4. Different Theories of Emotion Which comes first, your emotional feelings or your bodily sensations?? In other words, does your body react to your feelings or are your feelings an interpretation of your bodily sensations??

5. Evolution Theory of Emotion • Darwin • Said that emotions evolved because they had adaptive value • Example – fear evolved because it helped people act in ways that enhanced their chances of survival • Also said… • Facial expressions are innate or hard wired What??

6. The James-Lange Theory • Theorized that we feel emotion because we first experience and notice biological changes • We don’t cry because we are sad, we are sad because we cry • So… • biological changes (fast beating heart) emotion (fear) • There is a lag between bodily reaction and the emotion we express • So if I jump out and scare the living daylights out of you, your heart begins to race and that bodily change causes you to experience and express fear

7. Cannon-Bard Theory (Doubted the J-L order of events) • C-B said the experience of emotion happens at the same time that biological change happens • neither one causes the other (they are independent of each other) • We see a bear, we experience fear and a pounding heart at the same time - - no lag • So… • Fear + biological changes reaction

8. Schacter Two-Factor Theory of Emotion • Emotion depends on the interaction between biology and cognition (interpretation of events) • 1st you experience physiological arousal (biology) and then find a label in our mind (cognition) to explain the emotion • This then leads to a emotion or feeling • So… • Biology Cognition Emotion • My heart races when I see a scary movie and it may race when my car spins out of control • One is labeled or interpreted as “pleasurable excitement” and one as “sheer terror” • It depends on my interpretation

9. Example – Sight of oncoming car (perception of stimulus) Schacter Two-Factor Theory pounding heart (arousal) cognitive label (“I’m afraid) James-Lange Theory + pounding heart (arousal) = C-B Theory Fear (emotion) pounding heart (arousal) Fear (emotion) + fear (emotion)

10. The feeling of emotion can happen two different ways in the brain “DUAL-PATHWAY MODEL OF FEAR” • First path - immediate route • Goes straight to the amygdala allows people to respond rapidly to events • Fight or Flight Response – “get away fast” • Second path - deliberate route • Goes to frontal cortex and allows people to appraise events more slowly • “should I run?”

11. “DUAL-PATHWAY MODEL OF FEAR” 1st “Run !!!!” No thinking 2nd “This could be bad, I should move!!” Cognition is involved

12. Measuring Emotion • Galvanic skin response • measures an increase in the skin’s rate of electrical conductivity • i.e. muscle contractions • Polygraph tests – or lie detector • not a real good measure

14. Expression of Emotion • Emotions – Are they Universal? • six basic emotions • happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust • The Facial-feedback hypothesis • Video Turn that frown upside down… See what happens!!!