1. Theories of Emotion

2. Historical Approaches

3. Common Sense Theory Emotion-arousing stimulus leads to a
Conscious feeling (fear, anger) and a
Physiological response.
Emotional Behavior
Seeing an angry dog triggers feelings of fear and physical responses such as trembling and behavior like running.

4. Common-Sense Theory
Perception
(Interpretation
of stimulus—
danger)
Stimulus
(Tiger)
Emotion
(Fear)
Bodily
arousal
(Pounding
heart) & Fearful
Behavior
Common sense might suggest that the perception of a stimulus elicits emotion which then causes bodily arousal

5. Debates in Emotion Research
Which comes first, physiological arousal or the subjective experience of an emotion?
Can we react emotionally before appraising a situation, or does thinking always precede emotion?

6. James-Lange Theory
An emotion-arousing stimulus in the environment triggers a physiological reaction and behavior.
Our awareness of the physiological reaction leads to our experience of an emotion.
James believed that emotion followed this sequence:
We perceive a stimulus.
Physiological and behavioral changes occur.
We experience a particular emotion.

7. James’s Peripheral Feedback Theory
Perception
(Interpretation
of stimulus--
danger)
Stimulus
(Tiger)
Emotion
(Fear)
Bodily
arousal
(Pounding
heart) & Fearful
Behavior
James’s Theory
Perception of a stimulus causes bodily arousal which leads to emotion
We do not run from a tiger because we are afraid.  We are afraid because we ran from the tiger.
The relationship is See the tiger, Run from tiger, Experience fear
Keywords: Peripheral feedback theory, James

8. James-Lange Theory

12. Walter B. Cannon challenged the James–Lange theory
Bodily reactions are similar for many emotions (fear, rage), yet our subjective experience of various emotions is very different
Our emotional reaction to a stimulus is often faster than our physiological reaction
Artificially inducing physiological changes via adrenaline did not necessarily produce a related emotional experience
James had proposed that if a person were cut off from feeling bodily changes, he would not experience true emotions.
Studies of people with spinal cord injuries and cats with disabled sympathetic N.S. do not support James’ idea

13. Cannon-Bard Theory
An emotion-arousing stimulus simultaneously triggers both a
physiological response (sympathetic nervous system) and
the experience of an emotion (brain’s cerebral cortex).

14. Cannon Bard Theory

17. Theories of Emotion: Cognition and Emotion

18. Two-Factor Theory Also called the Schachter-Singer Theory
Emotions involve two factors:
A physiological arousal
A cognitive label of the arousal
Also called the Schachter-Singer Theory
Study using epinephrine and a humorous or irritating situation showed that those who did NOT know their physiological responses (increased heart beat) was caused by a shot rated their emotions as more intense than those who knew.

19. Schachter’s Cognition-Plus-Feedback Theory
Type
Intensity
Emotion
(Fear)
Perception
(Interpretation
of stimulus--
danger)
Stimulus
(Tiger)
Bodily
arousal
(Pounding
heart)
Keywords: Cognition-plus-feedback theory, Schachter
Perception and thought about a stimulus influence the type of emotion felt
Degree of bodily arousal influences the intensity of emotion felt

20. Two-Factor Theory

24. Richard Lazarus (1922- ) Cognitive-Mediational Theory
Emotions result from the cognitive appraisal of a situation’s effect on personal well-being
All other components of emotion, including physiological arousal, follow the initial cognitive appraisal
Intense emotions come from situations whose outcomes are important to us.
Critics of this theory argue that emotional reactions to a stimulus or event are virtually instantaneous—too rapid to allow for the process of cognitive appraisal. They suggest that we feel first and think later.

25. Cognitive-Mediational Theory
2. I think he’s a mugger!
3. I’m afraid (heart beating) & will run away.
I see a man by the parked car.
I hear & recognize his voice.
I know him and am not afraid
I see a man by the parked car.
I think he’s a mugger.
I’m afraid and will run away. OR
Your emotion depends on your cognitive appraisal or interpretation of the situation

26. Lazarus Cognitive-Mediational Theory
Cognitive Label
“This is a dangerous situation!”
Pounding Heart
(arousal)
Fear
(emotion)

27. Robert Zajonc ( )
Suggested that not all emotions involve deliberate thinking
Therefore, cognition is not necessary for all emotions
Some emotions skip the thinking part of the brain
We feel first, think later.

28. Paths to Emotional Responses

29. Paths to Emotional Responses

30. Paths to Emotional Responses

31. Modern Research Supports
And the Winner is…
Modern Research Supports

32. James–Lange Theory
Antonio Damasio’s findings—that each basic emotion produced a distinct pattern or neural response and that the physiological changes occurred before they were interpreted as an emotion—support the theory
Support is also provided by research on the facial feedback hypothesis—the view that expressing a specific emotion, especially facially, causes the subjective experience of that emotion
When people mimic the facial expressions characteristic of a given emotion, they tend to report feeling that emotion.
The basic explanation for this is that the facial muscles send feedback signals to the brain, which uses the information to activate and regulate emotional experience.