Emotions: Understanding Fear, Anger, and Happiness - Prof. Lori Jackson, Exams of Psychology

Download Emotions: Understanding Fear, Anger, and Happiness - Prof. Lori Jackson and more Exams Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! CHAPTER 13 (SUMMARY): EMOTION Overview Emotions are psychological responses that involve an interplay among (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behavior, and (3) conscious experience. James and Lange argued that we feel emotion after we notice our bodily responses. Cannon and Bard contended that we feel emotion when our body responds. Stanley Schachter’s two- factor theory states that to experience emotion, we must be aroused and cognitively label the emotion. Although some psychologists agree that emotions arise from our interpretations and inferences, others maintain that some simple emotional responses occur without any conscious processing. Many emotions can be placed along two basic dimensions: arousal and valence. Although the physical arousal that occurs with the different emotions is for the most part indistinguishable, researchers have discovered subtle differences in brain circuits, finger temperatures, and hormones. In using physiological indicators to detect lies, the polygraph does better than chance but not nearly well enough to justify its widespread use. We decipher people’s emotions by “reading” their bodies, voices, and faces. Although some gestures are culturally determined, facial expressions, such as those of happiness and fear, are universal. Facial expressions not only communicate emotion but also amplify the felt emotion. This chapter examines three human emotions in detail: fear, anger, and happiness. Although we seem biologically predisposed to acquire some fears, what we learn through experience best explains the variety of human fears. Anger is most often aroused by frustrating or insulting acts that seem willful and unjustified. Expressing anger may be temporarily calming, but in the long run, it can actually arouse more anger. Happiness boosts people’s perceptions of the world and their willingness to help others. However, even significant good events seldom increase happiness for long, a fact explained by the adaptation-level and relative deprivation principles. Theories of Emotion Three components of emotion; James-Lange versus Cannon-Bard theories of emotion. An emotion is a response of the whole organism that involves an interplay among (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behavior, and (3) conscious experience. The James-Lange theory states that our experience of an emotion is a consequence of our physiological response to a stimulus; we are afraid because our heart pounds (say, in response to an approaching stranger). The Cannon-Bard theory, on the other hand, proposes that the physiological response and subjective experience of emotion occur simultaneously. Heart pounding and fear occur at the same time—one does not cause the other. Schachter’s two-factor theory of emotion; Evidence that some emotions involve no conscious thought. Schachter’s two-factor theory states that to experience emotion, one must (1) be physically aroused and (2) cognitively label the arousal. Robert Zajonc believes that some simple emotional responses occur instantly before any cognitive processing occurs. In other words, we feel some emotions before we think. Research indicates that when people repeatedly view stimuli flashed too briefly for them to perceive and recall, they nevertheless come to prefer these stimuli. Moreover, some neural pathways involved in emotion bypass the cortical areas involved in thinking. One such pathway runs from the eye via the thalamus to one of the brain’s emotional control centers, the amygdala. This enables a quick, automatic response, which may then be modified after the cortex has further interpreted a threat. While some emotional responses—especially simple likes, dislikes, and fears—involve no conscious thinking, complex emotions—including moods such as depression—are greatly affected by our interpretations, memories, and expectations. How emotions can be differentiated along the dimensions of valence and arousal level. When psychologists have asked people to report their experiences of different emotions, all seem to place emotions along the dimensions of pleasant versus unpleasant (the emotion’s valence) and high versus low arousal. The valence dimension can be seen in successful exam takers who —more than their less successful counterparts—label arousal as energizing rather than threatening. On the arousal dimension, “terrified” is more frightened than “afraid” and “delighted” is happier than “happy.” Physiological changes during emotional arousal; The relationship between arousal and performance. In an emergency, the sympathetic nervous system automatically mobilizes the body for fight or flight, directing the adrenal glands to release hormones that increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar level. Other physical changes include tensed muscles, dry mouth, dilated pupils, slowed digestion, and increased sweating. The parasympathetic nervous system calms the body. In day-to-day life, our performance on a task is usually best when arousal is moderate, though this varies with the difficulty of the task. With easy tasks, peak performance comes with relatively high arousal, which enhances the dominant, usually correct, response. With more difficult tasks, the optimal arousal is somewhat less. The relationship between physiological states and specific emotions; Polygraphs to detect lying. When two emotions are similarly arousing and negative (or positive), the physiological reactions that accompany them are nearly indistinguishable to an untrained observer. However, scientists have discovered subtle differences in the brain circuits and hormones associated with different emotions. The right prefrontal cortex becomes more electrically active as people experience negative emotions, such as disgust. The left frontal lobe shows more activity with positive emotions. Fear and rage are sometimes accompanied by differing finger temperatures and hormone secretions. The polygraph measures several physiological indicators of emotion—for example, changes in breathing, pulse rate, blood pressure, and perspiration. Research suggests it errs about one-third of the time, too often to justify its widespread use in business and government. It more often labels the innocent guilty than the guilty innocent. A more honest approach is the guilty knowledge test. Expressed Emotion Nonverbal indicators of emotion; Cultures and the display of emotions and interpretations of facial expressions of emotion. All of us communicate nonverbally as well as verbally. For example, a firm handshake immediately conveys an outgoing, expressive personality. With a gaze, an averted glance, or a stare, we can communicate intimacy, submission, or dominance. We read fear and anger mostly from the eyes, happiness from the mouth. Introverts are better emotion-detectors than extraverts, although extraverts are easier to read. Also, women are better than men at reading emotions.