Aspects of Emotion

Chapter 12

Biological CognitiveSocial-

Cultural

Three Central Aspects of Emotion

Biological and Cognitive Aspects of Emotion

Biological Aspects Cognitive, Social, and Cultural Aspects

1. Autonomic nervous system

2. Endorcrin system

3. Neural brain circuits

4. Rate of neural firing

5. Facial feedback

1. Appraisals

2. Knowledge

3. Attributions

4. Socialization history

5. Cultural identities

James-Lange Theory William James Bodily changes do not follow the

emotional experience, rather emotional experience follows and depends on bodily response

Stimulus bodily reaction emotion If bodily changes did not occur, then the

emotion would not occur 2 assumptions

The body reacts uniquely to different emotion-eliciting events

The body does not react to nonemotion-eliciting events

Figure 12.1 Emotion Activation as a Function of Changes in the rate of Neural Firing

Neural Activation• Neural firing: the pattern of electrocortical activity (in the brain) at any time

• Different emotions are activated by different rates of cortical neural firing.

activity increases

activity decreases

activity remains constant

Endocrine System

Neural Circuits Behavioral Approach System

Readies the animal to seek out and interact with attractive environmental opportunities

Fight or Flight System Readies the animal to flee from

aversive events, but to defend aggressively against others

Behavioral Inhibition System Readies animal to freeze in the face

of aversive events

Differential Emotions Theory (izard)

5. Unique purpose/motivation: Each emotion generates distinctive motivational properties and serves adaptive functions.

2. Unique feeling: Each emotions has its own unique subjective, phenomenological quality.

4. Unique neural activity: Each emotion has its own specific rate of neural firing that activates it.

3. Unique expression: Each emotion has its own unique facial-expressive pattern.

1. Ten emotions constitute the principal motivation system for human beings.

Izard’s 10 Fundamental Emotions Included in His Differential Emotions Theory

Positive Emotions Neutral Emotions Negative Emotions

Interest

Joy

Surprise Fear

Anger

Disgust

Distress

Contempt

Shame

Guilt

Facial Feedback HypothesisFigure 12.2 Sequence of the Emotion –Activating Events According to the Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Can we voluntarily control our emotions?

Emotions are largely reactions If emotions are largely

biological- much of it will escape our voluntary control

If emotions are largely cognitive- much of our thoughts, beliefs, and ways of thinking are within our voluntary control

Cognitive Aspects of Emotion

An appraisal is an estimate of the personal significance of an event.

1. Without an antecedent cognitive appraisal of the event, emotions do not occur.

2. The appraisal, not the event itself, causes the emotion.

The central construct in a cognitive understanding of emotion

3 Questions

(1) How does the perception of an object or event produce a good or bad appraisal?(2) How does the appraisal generate emotion? (3) How does felt emotion express itself in action?

Appraisal Theory of Emotion

SITUATION

Life Event

APPRAISAL

Good or Bad(beneficial vs. harmful)

EMOTIONS

Liking vs.Disliking

ACTION

Approach vs.Withdrawal

Figure 12.7 Arnold’s Appraisal Theory of Emotion

APPRAISALType of Benefit

• Making progress toward a goal• Taking credit for an achievement• Improving on a distressing condition• Believing a desired outcome is possible• Desiring or participating in affection• Being moved by another’s suffering

• Appreciating an altruistic gift

Type of Harm

• Being demeaned by a personal offense• Transgressing a moral imperative

• Failing to live up to an ego ideal• Experiencing an irrevocable loss• Taking in an indigestible object or idea

Type of Threat• Facing an uncertain, unspecific threat• Facing immediate, overwhelming danger• Wanting what someone else has• Resenting a rival for one’s own loss

EMOTION

• Happiness• Pride• Pride• Hope• Love• Compassion• Gratitude

• Anger• Guilt• Shame• Sadness• Disgust

• Anxiety• Fright• Envy• Jealousy

SITUATION

Life Event

Figure 12. 8Lazarus’sComplex Appraisals

The cognitive processesthat intervene between important life events and physiological andbehavioral reactivity.

Primary appraisal involves an estimate of whether one has anything at stake in the encounter.

Secondary appraisal involves the person’s assessment for coping with the possible benefit, harm, or threat

Appraisal Model of Emotion

Figure 12.10 Decision Tree of Six Dimensions of Appraisal to Differentiate Among 17 Emotions

Emotion Differentiation

responsibility

Goal/need at stake and pleasantness

Cop

ing ab

ility

Attribution Theory of EmotionAn attribution is the reason the persons uses to explain an important life outcome. The attribution roots to the seven emotions

Attributional Roots to 7 Emotions Pride = attributing a (+) outcome

to internal cause (“I succeeded because of my outstanding ability”)

Gratitude= attributing a (+) outcome to an external cause (“I succeeded because of help from my teammates”)

Hope= attributing a (+) outcome to a stable cause (“I do well in sports because I am athletic by nature”)

Attributional Roots to 7 Emotions Anger = attributing a (-) outcome to

external-controllable cause (“I lost because my opponent cheated”)

Pity= attributing a (-) outcome to an external –uncontrollable cause (“I lost my job because of the poor economy”)

Guilt= attributing a (-) outcome to internal-controllable cause (“I lost because I didn’t put forth effort”)

Shame= attributing (-) outcome to internal-uncontrollable source (“I was rejected because I am ugly”)

Social and Cultural Aspects of Emotion

Figure 12. 13 Cluster Analysis of Basic Emotion Families in Chinese and English

Graphic Illustration Of Similar And Dissimilar Basic Emotions For People From Both Cultures

Other people and cultures in general instruct

us about the causes of our

emotions

How we should express out emotions

When to control our emotions

Emotion Knowledge Expression management Emotion management

Social & Cultural Aspects of Emotion