Wade/Tavris, (c) 2006, Prentice Hall Emotion A state of arousal involving facial and body changes, brain activation, cognitive appraisals, subjective feelings, and tendencies toward action, all shaped by cultural rules.

Wade/Tavris, (c) 2006, Prentice Hall Elements of Emotion 1: The Body Primary emotions –Emotions considered to be universal and biologically based. They generally include fear, anger, sadness, joy, surprise, disgust, and contempt. Secondary emotion –Emotions that develop with cognitive maturity and vary across individuals and cultures. Three biological areas of emotion are –facial expressions, –brain regions and circuits, and –autonomic nervous system.

Wade/Tavris, (c) 2006, Prentice Hall Universal Expressions of Emotion Facial expressions for primary emotions are universal. Even members of remote cultures can recognize facial expressions in people who are foreign to them. Facial feedback. –Process by which the facial muscles send messages to the brain about the basic emotion being expressed. Infants are able to read parental expressions. Facial expression can generate same expressions in others, creating mood contagion.

Wade/Tavris, (c) 2006, Prentice Hall Facial Expressions in Social Context Across and within cultures, agreement often varies on which emotion a particular facial expression is revealing. People don’t usually express their emotion in facial expressions unless others are around. Facial expressions convey different meanings depending on their circumstances. People often use facial expressions to lie about their feelings as well as to express them.

Wade/Tavris, (c) 2006, Prentice Hall The Brain and Emotion The amygdala. –Responsible for assessing threat. –Damage to the amygdala results in abnormality to process fear.

Wade/Tavris, (c) 2006, Prentice Hall The Brain and Emotion Left prefrontal cortex –Involved in motivation to approach others. –Damage to this area results in loss of joy. Right prefrontal cortex –Involved in withdrawal and escape. –Damage to the area results in excessive mania and euphoria.

Wade/Tavris, (c) 2006, Prentice Hall Hormones and Emotion When experiencing an intense emotion, 2 hormones are released. –Epinephrine –Norepinephrine Results in increased alertness and arousal. At high levels, it can create the sensation of being out of control emotionally.