Emotion Theories

Emotion very complex, term has no single, universally accepted definition Affect - synonym for emotion Feeling – in psychology usually refers to conscious subjective experience of emotion The Emotions

The limbic system is often thought of as the primitive part of the brain as it is present in lower mammals and parts are even found in reptiles. Animals need emotions to survive - they need fear as a trigger to escape predators and aggression to defend their territory, young and food. Charles Darwin thought emotions were merely left over from our animal past. However, you rely on your emotions to make quick, often complex, decisions.

prefrontal area hypothalamus amygdala cingulate gyrus thalamus sense of social responsibility capacity for concentration abstract thought reason & decision making pleasure and rage aversion displeasure uncontrollable loud laughing amygdala center for identification of danger fundamental for self preservation cingulate gyrus thalamus coordinates smells and sights with pleasant memories of previous emotions emotional reaction to pain regulation of aggression routes messages governs changes in emotional reactivity hippocampus long term memory center we compare conditions of present threat with similar past experiences fornix brainstem connects pathways of limbic system emotional physical reactions

Yerkes-Dodson law 1908 Arousal-performance phenomenon =Yerkes-Dodson law. a certain amount of anxiety can enhance performance too much can impair it (ie; severe stage fright).

James-Lange Theory 1885 emotions do not immediately follow perception of event but rather occur after body has responded to event.

(also called emergency theory) Cannon-Bard theory (also called emergency theory)

James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theories Comparison of James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theories (red arrows) (blue arrows) man perceives frightening animal and reacts with physical actions because reaction is unpleasant, he develops fear. frightening stimulus leads to feeling of fear, then, physical response.

1937, Neuroanatomist James Papez demonstrated emotion is not function of specific brain center but of circuit that involves four structures: -hypothalamus -anterior thalamic nucleus -cingulate gyrus -hippocampus. This circuit (Papez circuit), acting in harmony, is responsible for emotions (affect), as well as for peripheral expressions (face,body,voice,etc)

projects to hippocampus, hippocampus projects to hypothalamus by way Papez believed emotion was determined by cingulate cortex Emotional expression was governed by hypothalamus. Cingulate gyrus projects to hippocampus, hippocampus projects to hypothalamus by way of bundle of axons called fornix. Hypothalamic impulses reach cortex via relay in anterior thalamic nuclei. amygdala, center for identification of danger, fundamental for self preservation.

Two-Factor Theory of Emotions Schachter-Singer Theory 1962 Two-Factor Theory of Emotions experiencing an emotion requires both emotional arousal and cognitive activity

Classification of Emotions. R. Plutchik’s (1980) Classification of Emotions. Eight primary emotions - joy, acceptance, surprise, fear, sorrow, disgust, expectancy and anger; other emotions are mixture Joy Accepted Aware Anger Sad Rejected Surprise Fear

Affective states (emotions and moods) “These states – called core affect – influence reflexes, perception, cognition, and behavior and are influenced by many causes internal and external” (James A. Russell)

Paul Ekman's finding is now widely accepted. Expressions he found to be universal included anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise 2004 Developed Facial Action Coding System (FACS) to taxonomize every conceivable human facial expression.

Richard Lazarus Theory   Lazarus Theory states thought must come before emotion or physiological arousal. Must think about your situation before you can experience emotion. EXAMPLE:  You are walking down a dark alley late at night.  You hear footsteps behind you and you think it may be a mugger so you begin to tremble, your heart beats faster, and your breathing deepens and at the same time experience fear.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1994

Crocodile Dundee laughs & jumps in to grab the croc! Cognitive Appraisal Lazarus’s research has shown that people’s experience of emotion depends on way they appraise or evaluate events around them Example: Person walking with Crocodile Dundee sees a crocodile lunge, & screams. Crocodile Dundee laughs & jumps in to grab the croc!