Schachter's Two-Factor Theory: Arousal & Cues in Emotion, Study notes of Social Psychology of Emotion

Download Schachter's Two-Factor Theory: Arousal & Cues in Emotion and more Study notes Social Psychology of Emotion in PDF only on Docsity! Schachter’s Two-Factor Theory of Emotion  This theory is similar to Bem’s explanation for the cause of behavior in general. Schachter’s theory looks specifically at how we decide what emotion we are experiencing – when we are experiencing one. Two Factor Theory  Physiological arousal (up or down) occurs  +  Environmental circumstances  =  Attributed emotion Example 1  I am tense and sweating  +  A gun is being pointed at me  =  I am afraid Example 2  I am tense and sweating  +  Sorority Sue is looking at me and smiling  =  I am in love  Would this work for severely depressed people? No  But, for minor ups and downs, there is something to the argument. Research Example  Schachter and Singer (1962) gave some people a mild stimulant and others a placebo (on a pretence of testing vitamins). They then gave them a questionnaire containing rather personal questions. Another person in the room got angry at the questionnaire. The people who had been given the stimulant (and thus felt aroused) reported that they felt angry themselves.  Stimulant : Arousal  +  Environment: An angry person  =  Emotion: I am angry too  Explanation: Ground Interviewees  No arousal  +  Attractive woman gave me her phone number  +  Emotion: I must not be interested (she doesn’t turn me on). I won’t call.  Two-factor theory says that the emotion that we feel that we are experiencing when we are aroused is determined by factors present in our environment. The environmental factors determine the emotion that we believe we are experiencing.  How do we know what emotion to attach to an experience? This must be learned.