1. Emotions, Stress and Human Relations
Chapter 4
Emotions, Stress and Human Relations

2. Research on Emotions Ignored emotion, preferred rational thought
Amygdala is linked to fear and anger
Positive emotions, left hemisphere; negative emotions, right hemisphere
Brain chemicals affect emotions
Facial expressions affect emotions

3. Thoughts Influence Emotions
Activating Event
Cognitive Appraisal
Self-talk

4. Irrational Beliefs
Catastrophizing – making it worse than it is (Bad omen?)
Overgeneralization – Will it always be this way? (always or never)
Or just often?
The myth of causation.
Albert Ellis – ABC model
A=activating event; C=consequent emotion; B=intervening beliefs/thoughts
Are you afraid of hurting someone’s feelings?
Letting the pot boil (over).

5. Irrational Beliefs The need for approval The tyranny of shoulds
Everyone must like me
Leads to compromise
Compromise leads to confusion/cognitive dissonance
The tyranny of shoulds
Just world hypothesis
If we try to live right, we should be blessed or rewarded.
People get what they deserve
Blaming the victim

6. Irrational Beliefs Perfectionism Myth of helplessness.
I should be able to handle this.
Don’t get help.
Don’t accept yourself.
Myth of helplessness.
I can’t do anything about the situation.

7. Addressing Irrational Beliefs
Self-talk
Cognitive therapy

8. Sadness: Are you depressed?
Are you physically tired for no reason?
Do you feel worthless?
Do you feel hopeless?
Have you lost interest in activities?
Have you lost interest in people?
Have your eating or sleeping habits changed?
Can you think clearly? Or do you feel “foggy”?

9. What causes sadness & depression?
Life events (loss, grief)
Depressive realism
Pessimistic thought patterns
Physical exhaustion
Depression is contagious
Guilt
Unforgiveness, grudges

10. What to do about sadness.
Cognitively appraise the problem
Treat yourself
Exercise
Socialize
Laugh, find something funny
Distract, read a good book
Accomplish something
Small chore
Help someone else
If non of these are working, or you can’t make yourself do them, get help.

11. Anger
Anger is an emotion.
Aggression is a behavior.

12. Direct Expression of Anger
Constructive
Count to 10
Do not ambush
Choose your battles
Destructive
Physical aggression
Verbal aggression, e.g., name-calling
Relational aggression, e.g., gossip,slander

13. Indirect Expression of Anger
Destructive
Getting drunk, doing drugs
Tearing up property
Displacement
Catharsis (letting off steam) does not work very well
Constructive
Exercise
Relaxation
Psychological Detachment (The situation, but not your reaction, may be out of your control.)
Cognitive restructuring )accentuate the positive)
Prayer and meditation

14. Express Your Anger Do express your anger.
Unexpressed anger does not go away.
Over time it will build up and cause trouble.
Special cases.
Anger with yourself.
Anger with God.

15. Happiness
What is it and what factors are related to it?

16. Subjective Well-Being
self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life
used along with measures of objective well-being
physical and economic indicators to evaluate people’s quality of life

17. Experiencing Emotion Does money buy happiness? Average per-person
Year
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10% 0%
Average
per-person
after-tax income
in 1995 dollars
Percentage
describing
themselves as
very happy
$20,000
$19,000
$18,000
$17,000
$16,000
$15,000
$14,000
$13,000
$12,000
$11,000
$10,000
$9,000
$8,000
$7,000
$6,000
$5,000
$4,000
Percentage very happy
Personal income

18. Feel-good, do-good phenomenon
Experiencing Emotion
Feel-good, do-good phenomenon
people’s tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood

19. Experiencing Emotion Values and life satisfaction Importance scores
Money
Love
Life satisfaction
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
-0.2
-0.4
Importance
scores

20. Experiencing Emotion Adaptation-Level Phenomenon Relative Deprivation
tendency to form judgments relative to a “neutral” level
brightness of lights
volume of sound
level of income
defined by our prior experience
Relative Deprivation
perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself

21. Experiencing Emotion However, Happiness Seems Not Much
Researchers Have Found That
Happy People Tend to
Have high self-esteem
(in individualistic countries)
Be optimistic, outgoing, and agreeable
Have close friendships or a satisfying
marriage
Have work and leisure that engage
their skills
Have a meaningful religious faith
Sleep well and exercise
However, Happiness Seems Not Much
Related to Other Factors, Such as
Age
Gender (women are more often
depressed, but also more often joyful)
Education levels
Parenthood (having children or not)
Physical attractiveness

22. Other Factors Affecting Happiness
Perceived personal control
Set and achieve realistic goals
Optimism
Genetics?
Left hemisphere, frontal lobe
Easy temperament

23. How to be happier Keep busy with challenging, but manageable tasks
Count your blessings
Find good relationships, social networks
Look on the bright side
Exercise (regularly)
Laugh!