Chapter 10 Emotions

Chapter Outline  Defining Emotions Classical Ideas About the Origins of Emotion  Universal Emotions and Facial Expressions  Social Emotions  Summary

Defining Emotions  Emotions are not easy to define.  Terms that are synonymous with emotion include sentiment, affect, mood, and feelings.

Affect  Affect is a general label that encompasses any kind of evaluation of an object.  Affect varies in direction, intensity, and activity.  Can be short-lived (ex: after being the target of an insult)  Or enduring (ex: pleasant association with the Christmas season)

Emotions  Emotions are thought of as short-lived reactions to a stimulus outside of the individual that involve both physiological and cognitive reactions.  Emotions are also intimately related to goals.  Various culturally defined combinations produce what we think of, and experience as an emotion

Emotions  Emotions include: 1.Situational stimulus (ex: being slapped) 2.Physiological changes (Ex: elevated temperature and heart rate) 3.Expressive gesturing of some kind (ex: furrowed brow and clenched fist) 4.A label to identify a cluster of the first three (ex: anger)

Sentiment  Sentiments are steeped in the social characteristics of the situation.  Sentiment relies on the responses of the individual to the stimulus and how that stimulus is understood by other human beings.  Close to emotion but emphasizes more the social parts of the emotional response not the physiological

Moods  A mood is a general psychological condition that characterizes our experience and emotional orientation for hours or even days.  Moods are considerably less specific than emotions.

Darwin and Emotion  Darwin thought if humans and other animals had common ancestors they ought to have similarities in emotional expression.  The theory Darwin developed about emotional expression was based on similarities across cultures and species.  If some emotions and expressions of them were universal, they must be genetically encoded.

James and Lange and Emotion  More concerned with the sources of emotions  Developed a physiological notion of emotion in which physical changes occurred first and then were cognitively processed and interpreted as emotion.

Freud and Emotion  Focused on how emotions could be developed unconsciously and how past experience affected the experience of emotion.

Universal Emotions and Facial Expressions If involuntary facial expressions are –produced by the same emotional state across individuals and are –identified by observers as meaning the same thing then –we can believe they are universal expressions of emotions.

Single-Emotion Judgment Task % who chose the predicted emotion NationEstoniaGermany Greece Hong Kong Italy Happiness Surprise Sadness Fear Disgust Anger

Single-Emotion Judgment Task % who chose the predicted emotion NationJapanScotland Sumatra TurkeyU.S. Happiness Surprise Sadness Fear Disgust Anger

Cultural Differences  Even if some basic emotions are expressed similarly across cultures, there are strong cultural influences that can suppress, exaggerate, or change the display of these emotions.

Display Rules  Cultural norms about emotional expression norms that deal with how we must modify our facial expressions to make them fit social situations.  Display rules are typically learned in childhood and become habits that automatically control facial muscles.

Display Rules  Display rules may require modifying facial expressions of emotion in several ways: –Greater intensity in expression –Less intensity in expression –Complete neutralization of expression –Masking one emotion with a different one

Collectivist and Individualist Cultures  Collectivist cultures process and display emotion in ways that protect and reinforcement social bonds.  Individualist cultures display emotions in ways that broadcast individual states and draw attention to the individual as the key social unit.

Expression in Collectivist and Individualistic Cultures Emotional Element Collectivist Orientation Individualist Orientation Estimate of emotional intensity low intensityhigh intensity Emotional content in vocal cues Higher attention to vocal cues Higher attention to word meanings Expressing happiness Promotes connection to others Reflects individual achievement

Expression in Collectivist and Individualistic Cultures Emotional Element Collectivist Orientation Individualist Orientation Shame and guilt Shame is of central importance Guilt is more important shame develops later Anger Anger is dangerous, it must be suppressed Anger is healthy, it promotes assertiveness Grief Elaborate mourning rituals Brief mourning period followed by a return to normal life

Cognitive Labeling Theory  Proposes that emotional experience is the result of a three step sequence: 1.An event in the environment produces a physiological reaction. 2.We notice the reaction and search for an appropriate explanation. 3.By examining situational cues, we find an emotional label for the reaction.

Social Emotions  Emotions that cannot be understood or even defined without reference to the social world.  Social emotions: –Involve an awareness of oneself in the social context. –Emerge out of interaction. –Are often experienced in reference to a societal standard.

5 Social Emotions  Guilt  Shame  Jealousy  Empathy  Love

Emotional Intelligence  The theory that an individual’s ability to understand the emotional content in social interactions constitutes a unique dimension of intelligence that is substantially different from intelligences measured by IQ.

Emotion Work and Feeling Rules  Emotion work attempts to change the intensity or quality of our feelings to bring them into line with the requirements of the occasion.  Emotion work occurs because we are subject to feeling rules—rules that dictate what people with our role identities ought to feel in a given situation.

Emotion Work Tasks for Flight Attendants Emotion Work CategoryDetailed Description Relax and smilePresent a calm and cheerful demeanor. Consider passengers as friends and family Protect and comfort passengers as you would your family. Do not engage in ridicule No matter how passengers behave you may not ridicule them or their requests.

Emotion Work Tasks for Flight Attendants Emotion Work CategoryDetailed Description Never appear frightenedNo matter the situation you must suppress fear. SincerityManage others’ emotions by remaining calm. Do not blame passengers for anything Even if it is their fault. Never display anger.Training programs emphasize strategies for reducing anger.