Cognition and EmotionNovember 25, 2003

Areas of InquiryEffect of emotion on performance (e.g., memory, perception, attention)Information processing concomitants of emotional disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression)Cognitive neuroscience of emotionscognitive structure of emotionneuropsychological studiescognitive aspects of emotion (e.g., appraisal)

Introduction & HistoryJames-Lange theoryCannon-Bard theorySchacter & Singer studies (2-factor theory)Facial feedback hypothesisNeurobiological contributions (Davis, LeDoux)Neuropsychological perspectivesInformation-processing theories

Personality TraitsMood StatesEmotional ProcessingPersonality TraitsMood StatesEmotional ProcessingMood StatesPersonality TraitsEmotional ProcessingTRADITIONAL MODELMEDIATOR MODELMODERATOR MODEL

Limbic System

Davis: Cortical influences on basic startle pathway

Davis: Role of the amygdala in conditioned fear

LeDoux: direct thalamo-amygdala connections, bypassing cortex

Bowers Network TheoryEmotions are nodes in a semantic networkEmotions stored as propositionsEmotion = activation of networkActivation spreads in selective fashion to associated conceptsWhen nodes activated above threshold level, conscious experience of emotion results

Four Predictions from Bowers TheoryMood-state-dependent recallMood congruity: learning best when congruity between learners state and type of material (best supported)Thought congruity: thoughts, associations congruent with mood stateMood intensity: increases in intensity (arousal) lead to greater activation of network

Mood Effects on Attention and MemoryNegative memory bias found with depressed and anxious normalsnot consistently found with anxious patients (active avoidance?)Mood vs. emotionEffects on processing capacity

Emotional StroopBOY BLOOD TABLE GASH NICE TREE PUSDOG ELBOW LACERATE RIVER GUTS CHURCH

GUILTYCANDY

Anxiety and AttentionSelective attention toward threat-related material (selective attentional bias; e.g. dot-probe, emotional Stroop)Distractibility ( attentional control)Effects on breadth of attention (more local spotlight)Interpretive bias: interpreting ambiguous materials as threatening (e.g., The doctor examined little Emilys growth)Anxiety and preattentive processing

Preattentive Perception of Threat: hmanDistinction between automatic v. controlled information processingDraws on animal work (LeDoux) - direct thalamic-amygdala connectionThreat: biological and derivedData:responses to masked stimulislowed RT to threat words in shadowing

Ohmans Information-Processing Model for Fear and Anxiety

DepressionLittle evidence for attentional bias in depressionInterpretive/recall biases in depressionInterpreting ambiguous situations as negativeReduced predictions of success on cognitive tasksRecall of past performance reduced

Siegle, 1999

Time Course of Attentional Bias in DepressionSiegle, 1999

Emotion and PerformancePerformance impaired by high levels of state anxietyYerkes-Dodson Lawperformance is optimal with a medium level of arousaloptimum level lower for hard tasksCognitive Interference theory (Sarason): worry and self-preoccupation interfere Processing Efficiency Theory (Eysenck): processing efficiency = effectiveness/effort; worry reduces efficiencyPerformance in depression impaired both by task-irrelevant information and poor effort/motivationmost studies are of an anologue nature, though a few patient studies are available

What are emotions?

Discrete Emotions TheoryEmotions are distinct and unique states (e.g., fear, anger, etc.)Basic or primary emotions - Tomkins lists 8 (hap, sad, anger, fear disgust, surprise, interest, shame)Search for response patterning in emotions (Friesen, Ekman, etc.)Cross-cultural comparisons

Basic Elements of Discrete Emotions Theory

Bioinformational Theory (Lang)Emotions as action predispositionsDimensional view of emotionsaffective valence (appetitive-aversive dimension)arousal (resource recruitement)Link between emotional and motivational behavior

Activation v. Approach/WithdrawalActivation v. ValenceAWPNDiscrete v. Dimensional Models (Christie, 2002)

Neuropsychological FindingsNeuropsychological studies of affective competence (RHD)Modular organization of affective systems (?)Modality-independent affective lexiconValence-related asymmetries