1. How should we classify emotions?
4 Ways
√ Basic (Discrete) Emotions Model: Emotions are universally distinct categories
√ Component Process Theory: combination of simple, cognitive appraisals
Dimensional Models: Emotions can be explained by continuous dimensions (or factors)
Prototype Approach

2. Dimensional models Criticisms of Basic Emotions Perspective Emphases
4 components do not always form a different pattern for each emotion
Does not account for cultural influences
# of basic emotions varies
Emphases
How do emotions relate to each other?
To explore this question, select 1 of 4 components
Typically, use self-reports of subjective feelings states

3. 3 Dimensional Models Russell & Barrett (1999) Watson & Tellegen (1985)
Cacioppo & Bernston’s (1994) Evaluative Space Model (ESM)

4. Dimensional models To understand relationship between emotions
Need to identify underlying dimensions of emotions
Self-Report Ratings
How similar are these emotion words?
How strong is your experience of these emotions?
Arrange similar answers together around a circle – Circumplex Models

5. Circumplex models: important terms
Valence: Pleasantness vs. Unpleasantness
Activation: High Arousal vs. Low Arousal
Mixed Emotions
Can people feel two emotions at the same time?
Can people feel happy and sad at the same time?
Dimension
Bipolar: opposing adjectives at each pole
Unipolar: same adjectives at each pole

6. ACTIVATION
PLEASANT
UNPLEASANT
DEACTIVATION

7. CIRCUMPLEX MODELS: CLASSIFY THESE EMOTIONS
Valence : High or Low?
Activation: High or Low?
CONTENT
JOY
ANGRY
FEAR
SAD
EXCITED
SLEEPY

8. (Russell & Barrett, 1999)

9. Russell & Barrett (1999) The underlying dimensions of emotions are:
VALENCE – How pleasant or unpleasant is the emotion?
ACTIVATION– How arousing is the emotion?
Any emotion is a combo of valence and activation!
Valence and Arousal are dependent, bipolar structures
measured by opposing adjectives at each pole
Someone cannot be high in Pleasantness and high in Unpleasantness

10. Valence is a bipolar dimension
NEUTRAL IS HERE!

11. Arousal is a bipolar dimension
NEUTRAL IS HERE!

12. MIXED EMOTIONS are similar!

13. MIXED EMOTIONS: Positive and negative emotion?

14. 1 = Not At All; 5 = extremely
Interested
Excited
Strong
Enthusiastic
Proud
Alert
Determines
Attentive
Active
Distressed
Upset
Guilty
Scared
Hostile
Irritable
Ashamed
Nervous
Jittery
Afraid

15. Watson & TELLEGEN (1985): 4 poles
Pleasantness: happy vs. sadness
Engagement: arousal vs. still
Positive Affect: excited vs. sluggish
Negative Affect: distressed vs. relaxed

18. HIGH NEGATIVE AFFECT
HIGH POSITIVE AFFECT
LOW POSITIVE AFFECT
LOW NEGATIVE AFFECT

19. (Watson & Tellegen, 1985)

20. Watson & TELLEGEN (1985) Pleasantness = valence
Moderately pleasant emotions
happy vs. sad
Engagement = activation, arousal
Moderately arousing emotions
aroused vs. still

21. Watson & TELLEGEN (1985)
Negative Affect: feeling unpleasant and highly activated
extent to which an individual is currently upset or distressed.
distressed vs. relaxed
Positive Affect: feeling pleasant and highly activated
one’s current level of pleasure and enthusiasm
excited vs. sluggish

22. Watson and tellegen (1985) The underlying dimensions of emotions are:
POSITIVE AFFECT– How arousing is this positive emotion?
NEGATIVE AFFECT– How arousing is this negative emotion?
All EMOTIONS ARE STRONG ENGAGEMENT!
Unipolar Dimension
Measured by the same adjective on each pole
PA is independent of NA (someone could be high in both PA and NA)
Each defined by pleasantness and arousal

24. What’s going on with the “Low” poles?
Low poles indicate deactivation of affect (i.e. absence of affect)
Not considered true emotions b/c lack intensity
Low NA = presence of negative deactivation
Pleasant emotions low in arousal
Low PA = presence of positive deactivation
Unpleasant emotions low in arousal
In W&T’s model, PA and NA usually negatively correlated
Low PA would co-occur with High NA
Low NA would co-occur with High PA

25. Positive emotions range from high arousal thru low arousal to lack of positive emotions

27. Negative emotions range from high arousal thru low arousal to lack of negative emotions

29. MIXED EMOTIONS

30. More positive!

31. More negative!

32. Watson & Tellegen’s (1998) PANAS-Momentary
Negative Affect!
Watson & Tellegen’s (1998) PANAS-Momentary
Positive Affect!
Interested
Excited
Strong
Enthusiastic
Proud
Alert
Determines
Attentive
Active
Distressed
Upset
Guilty
Scared
Hostile
Irritable
Ashamed
Nervous
Jittery
Afraid
(PANAS-Momentary; Watson et al., 1998)

33. Evaluative space model
Cacioppo & Bernston (1994)
Evaluative space model

34. Imagine that you and your best friend tried out for the same position on the PSU soccer team. Your friend received the position, but you did not. Using the grid below, please rank how negative and positive you would feel about this outcome.

35. EVALUATIVE SPACE MODEL (esm): affect
Affect: feeling for or against a referent
Does not include activation
PA and NA can be +, -, or un-correlated
Allows for experience of mixed emotions
(Cacioppo & Bernston, 1994)

36. Types of emotions Coactivation: PA ↑, NA ↑ (mixed emotions)
Coinhibition: PA ↓, NA ↓
Reciprocity: PA ↑, NA ↓
Uncoupled Activation: PA and NA not correlated
Coactivation can occur, but affective processes gravitate toward bipolarity over time because bipolarity is more stable

38. Identify the following:
High Positivity, Low Negativity (reciprocity)
Low Positivity, High Negativity (reciprocity)
Low Positivity, Low Negativity (coinhibition)
High Positivity, High Negativity (coactivation)

39. High Positivity, Low Negativity

40. High Positivity, Low Negativity
High Negativity, Low Positivity

41. High Positivity, Low Negativity
Low Negativity, Low Positivity
High Negativity, Low Positivity

42. High Positivity, Low Negativity High Negativity, High Positivity
Low Negativity, Low Positivity
High Negativity, Low Positivity

44. Reciprocity
Similar to Russell’s valence dimension

45. Coactivation
Reciprocity
Coinhibition

46. Mixed Emotions: Russell & Barrett (1999)
Extent to which a pair of emotions is experienced together depends on how close the two emotions lie in the space.
What correlation would R & B’s model predict for happiness and sadness?
A: Positively correlated
B: Uncorrelated
C: Negatively correlated.
D: Not Sure

48. Mixed Emotions: Watson & Tellegen
Typically, PA and NA are negatively correlated.
Pleasantness and Unpleasantness are ALWAYS negatively correlated.
What correlation would W & T’s model predict for happiness and sadness?
A: Positively correlated
B: Uncorrelated
C: Negatively correlated.
D: Not Sure

50. Let’s Compare models

51. ESM vs. Circumplex: Agreement
Does not disagree completely with circumplex
Both allow for most mixed emotions (circumplex does not allow for happy and sadness)
Both include bipolar valence and activation dimensions (and view them as important)
On “typical days”: ESM reverts to circumplex (when mixed emotions are not experienced)
ESM View: People usually experience happiness OR sadness, not both simultaneously

52. ESM vs. Circumplex: disagreement
Mixed emotion of happiness and sadness
ESM: Allows for and measures
Circumplex: Does not allow for / does not measure
ESM:
Coactivation, coinhibition, and uncoupled activation included in model

53. Russell vs. watson: Agreement
Use Circumplex model to explain emotions
Both view activation and valence part of emotional experience
Happy/sad: 180⁰ apart; negatively correlated; mutually exclusive
Allow for other mixed emotions (e.g. tense/excited)

54. Russell vs. watson: disagreement
Building Blocks of Emotion
Watson: positive affect and negative affect
Russell: valence and arousal
Number of Activation Dimensions:
Watson = 2 unipolar activation dimensions (e.g., PA & NA)
Russell = 1 bipolar activation dimension
Some say…
Watson = 2 valence dimensions (pleasantness, engagement)
Russell = 1 valence dimension (pleasantness)

55. Bringing it together
Watson’s High Positive Affect = Russell’s Pleasantness + Activation
Alert, excited, peppy, elated
Watson’s High Negative Affect = Russell’s Unpleasantness + Activation
Disgust, fear, anger
Watson’s Low PA = Russell’s Unpleasantness + Deactivation
Lethargic, fatigued, drowsy
Watson’s Low NA = Russell’s Pleasantness + Deactivation
Calm, content, serene

56. Bringing it together: Happy v. Sad
Watson:
Happiness = moderately activated, pleasant emotion
Sadness = moderately activated, unpleasant emotion
Cannot occur at same time
Russell
Happiness = high pleasantness, moderate activation
Sadness = high unpleasantness, moderate activation
Cacioppo’s ESM
Happiness = high pleasantness
Sadness = high unpleasantness
Can occur at same time!