1. Chapter 13
Emotion
Phineas gage
crash course

2. Theories of Emotion
Does your heart pound because you are afraid... or are you afraid because you feel your heart pounding?

3. Emotion
Willam James and Carl Lange came up with the James-Lange Theory of Emotion.
We feel emotion because of biological changes caused by stress.
The body changes and our mind recognizes the feeling.

7. James-Lange Theory of Emotion
Experience of emotion is awareness of physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli
Fear
(emotion)‏
Pounding
heart
(arousal)‏
Sight of
oncoming
car
(perception of
stimulus)‏

8. James-Lange (cont.)
Subjects report feeling more sad when viewing scenes of war, sickness, and starvation if their “sad face” muscles are activated.
They also find comic strips funnier if their “happy face” muscles are activated.

9. Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion
The physiological change and cognitive awareness must occur simultaneously.
They believed it was the thalamus that helped this happen.

10. Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion
Sight of
oncoming
car
(perception of
stimulus)‏
Pounding
heart
(arousal)‏
Fear
(emotion)‏
Emotion-arousing stimuli simultaneously trigger:
physiological responses
subjective experience of emotion

13. Two-Factor ThSchachter’s Two-Factorory of Emotio 3:50
Two-Factor Theory of Emotion 3:50
Stanley Schachter explains emotions more completely that the other two theories.
They happen at the same time but…
People who are already physiologically aroused experience more intense emotions than unaroused people when both groups are exposed to the same stimuli.
Biology and Cognition interact with each other to increase the experience.

17. Schachter’s Two Factor Theory of Emotion
Cognitive
label
“I’m afraid”
Fear
(emotion)‏
Sight of
oncoming
car
(perception of
stimulus)‏
Pounding
heart
(arousal)‏
To experience emotion one must:
be physically aroused
cognitively label the arousal

18. Schachter’s Two-Factor
Epinephrine Study:
Injection
Told
Emotion
Group 1
Epinephrine
Will increase arousal
Mild
Group 2
Will have no effect / other side effects
Strong

19. Autonomic nervous system controls physiological arousal
Emotional 8:02
Autonomic nervous system controls
physiological arousal
Sympathetic
division (arousing)‏
Pupils dilate
Decreases
Perspires
Increases
Accelerates
Inhibits
Secrete stress
hormones
Parasympathetic
division (calming)‏
Pupils contract
Dries
Slows
Activates
secretion of
stress
EYES
SALIVATION
SKIN
RESPIRATION
HEART
DIGESTION
ADRENAL
GLANDS

20. Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Activity (materials needed: comics and Q- tips)
Which of the 3 theories does this activity support? Why?

22. Experienced Emotion - Fear
Learning Fear
Observation / Experience
Genetic / Evolutionary Predispositions?
Biology of Fear
Amygdala – emotions of fear
Hippocampus – memory of fear

23. Expressed Emotion
People more speedily detect an angry face than a happy one (Ohman, 2001a)

24. Expressing Emotion How good are you at detecting emotions?
Culturally universal expressions

25. Experiencing Emotion Catharsis Feel-good, do-good phenomenon
emotional release
catharsis hypothesis
“releasing” aggressive energy (through action or fantasy) relieves aggressive urges
Feel-good, do-good phenomenon
people’s tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood

26. 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

27. Experiencing Emotion Adaptation-Level Phenomenon Relative Deprivation
tendency to form judgements relative to a “neutral” level
Relative Deprivation
perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself
Is Happines Relative (8 min)

28. Opponent-Process Theory of Emotion
Strong
Neutral
First experience
(a)‏
After repeated experiences
(b)‏

29. Happiness is... 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

30. Theories of Emotions Review