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.

When trying to understand what kind of person
we are, we first watch what we do and feel and
then deduce our nature from this.

This means that the first step in the experience
of emotion is to experience physiological
arousal. You are physiologically up or down,
compared to normal

We then try to find a label to explain our
feelings, usually by looking at what we are doing
(behavior) and what else is happening at the
time of the arousal (environment).

Thus we don’t just feel angry, happy or
whatever: we experience general feeling and
then decide what they mean, a specific emotion.
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



Note in these two examples, the state of arousal
that the person is experiencing is the same.
What changes is the environment.

Two-factor theory argues that the cues in the
environment are what determine the emotion
that we believe we are experiencing.

Have you ever heard (or been told) someone say
to a friend who is a bit unhappy, “You need to
go somewhere fun. You’ll feel better.”?

This statement is actually an application of
Schachter’s theory. Change the environment
and the emotion will change with it.

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


Research Example

Dutton and Aron (1974) had an attractive
woman ask for interviews of young men. Some
were interviewed on a swaying rope bridge, 200
ft above a river. Others were interviewed on
level ground. A part way through the interview,
she gives them her phone number. Over 60 %
from the rope bridge called her. Only 30%
interviewed on ground called her.

Explanation: Bridge Interviewees
Arousal
 +
Attractive woman gave me her phone number
 =
Emotion: I must like her (I’m turned on). I’ll
call




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.
Example
I am a child and I am aroused
 +
I am in front of a lion cage and dad is telling me
not to be afraid
 =
 The arousal I am experiencing must be fear


Example
I am a child watching a high wire act in a circus
and I am aroused
 +
 Dad tells me that this is really exciting to him
 =
 The arousal I am experiencing must be
excitement
