1. Chapter 13 pt. 2: Physiology of Emotion, Detecting Lies, and Experiencing Emotion

2. The Physical Arousal of Emotion is Controlled by The Autonomic Nervous System
It is very difficult to differentiate the physical arousal associated with many emotions (hurts James-Lange Theory) even though they definitely feel different.
The arousal associated with emotions are controlled by the autonomic nervous system’s divisions the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

3. Autonomic Nervous System’s Division
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

4. Arousal’s Impact on Performance
Review:
What types of tasks are performed best with high amounts of arousal?
What types of tasks are performed bets with low amounts of arousal?

5. Arousal and Performance
level
Low
Arousal
High

6. Can Measuring Arousal Detect Lies?
Polygraph: machine commonly used to in attempts to detect lies.
Measures Physiological Responses to Emotion Including:
perspiration
heart rate
blood pressure
breathing changes

7. Questioning Process With The “Lie Detector”
1. Ask Control Question which you are most likely guilty of (Probable lie).
Have you ever stolen anything?
2. Ask Relevant Question that you are interested in.
Were you at the scene of the crime the day of the murder?
If there is a bigger physiological reaction to the relevant question than the control question you are lying.

8. What Arguments Do Critics Make Against the “Lie Detector?”

9. Accuracy of the Polygraph Is Between 70 & 90%
Is this a good level of accuracy?
With 70% Accuracy:
Assume 5% of 1000 employees actually guilty
test all employees
285 will be wrongly accused
With 95% Accuracy:
Assume 1 in 1000 employees actually guilty
test all employees (including 999 innocents)
50 wrongly declared guilty

10. Polygraph Accuracy Study
Percentage
Innocent
people
Guilty 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
Judged innocent by polygraph
Judged guilty by polygraph

11. Detecting Emotion/Lies With Facial Expressions
Paul Ekman developed a system for classifying deception within emotional expression.
With experience and training it is possible to detect microexpressions which indicate guilt, despair, and fear.
Must play close attention to facial muscles which are nearly impossible to control.

12. Expressing Emotion: Gender Differences
Studies have found that women are better readers of emotional cues and have more emotional reactivity than men in all measures except for anger.
Men
Women
Sad Happy Scary
Film Type
Number of
expressions

13. The Emotion of Fear
Fear is an adaptive emotion which helps prepare us for dangerous situations but which can also negatively impact us.
Some fears are more innate than others but there have been experiments which have shown fears can be learned.
Ex: Monkeys and snakes and Certain phobias

14. Biology of Fear
The body’s control center for learning/enacting fear is the amygdala.
Loss or damage to one’s amygdala has lead to fearlessness in some patients.

15. The Emotion of Anger: Is the Catharsis Theory True?
Catharsis: refers to an emotional release. The hypothesis argues that by releasing aggressive energy one can relieve their aggressive urges.

16. The Concept of Happiness
Feel-Good, Do-Good Phenomenon: you will be helpful more often if you are in a good mood.
Subjective Well Being: most common measurement of happiness, satisfaction, and quality of life. Looks at physical as well as economic indicators.

17. Does Money Buy Happiness?
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

18. Does Focusing On the Benjamins Bring Happiness?
Money
Love
Life satisfaction
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
-0.2
-0.4
Importance
scores

19. What Affects Happiness?
Adaptation Level Phenomenon: our tendency to form judgments about our happiness relative to our prior experience.

20. What Affects Happiness?
Relative Deprivation: the tendency to be disappointed with a situation when you perceive you are worse off than others.
Ex: Grade Distributions; Pro Athletes’ salaries.
Works opposite way too; feeling satisfied when comparing yourself to the less fortunate.

21. Predicting Happiness 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

22. Short Term Adaptation Level Theory
Opponent Process Theory of Emotion: is the idea that every emotion triggers an opposing emotion.
Ex: Pain of childbirth---->Euphoria