DO ANIMALS HAVE EMOTIONS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQ
kPw
Clues From Primate Studies on
Emotions as Inherited
Jane Goodall’s Chimp Observations
Chimp society based on aggression and sex
Aggression relates to social hierarchies
Aggression in chimps linked to serotonin levels. Same for humans
Chimps appear to be emotional—and to share same basic
emotions as humans.
Jane Goodall: “Emotional states of chimps are so obviously
similar to ours that even an inexperienced observer can
interpret the behavior”.
From Reflexes to Emotion
a. Reflexes
b. Patterns of action
c. Innate releaser/sign stimulus/cue
d. Emotions
Emotions and Action Patterns
Cue
Emotion
Pattern
Purpose
Intruder
Anger, alarm
Aggression,
warning
Defend
territory
Potential
Mate
Excitement,
arousal
Flirtation,
displays,
approach
Mating,
affiliation
Emotions and Problem Solving
Emotions draw attention to problems
Emotions keep attention on problems, until problems are
solved.
Different emotions are keyed to different kinds of problems
EMOTION
“PROBLEM”
“SOLUTION”
Guilt
Betrayal of
another
Restore bonds
Fear
Threat to self
Self Protection
Culture and Emotions
Class 3
Universality of Emotions
Emotional expression evident among blind, deaf
Emotion expression common across literate cultures
Ekman study
Izard study
Emotional expression common between pre-literate cultures
and literate culture (USA).
Ekman: South Fore of New Guinea
Heiders: Dani’
Researching Culture and Emotion
1. Cross time within a society
2. Between regions within larger society
3. Between separate societies
Emotional Differences Between
Cultures Represent Adaptations
Cultures differ in constraints (i.e., challenges,
and opportunities) that they face.
Constraints favor some emotions, some
emotional expressions, and disfavor others.
Emotions are adapted to the problems people
face in different places and different times.
Emotions During the Enlightenment
1. Reason and rationality great equalizers
2. Darwin: emotions associated with more primitive animals.
3. Spinoza: Spiritual freedom gained by controlling the
“passive” emotions
4. Emotions associated with the irrational, the untamed,
the feminine, the weak, the insane.
5. Embracing of science  industrial revolution, command
over nature
Romanticism and Emotions
1. Reaction to the hyper-rationality of the Enlightenment
2. Philosophical spokesman: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1755)
“The heart has its reasons the reason cannot know”
3. Themes of Romanticism
a. Nature is basically benign
b. Good life lived in harmony with nature—inner and outer
c. Notion of “noble savage”
d. Dangers of ignoring nature: warped wonks
Frankenstein: Science run amok
Emotion vs. Reason in American
Identity
Pro-Reason:
Balance of power
Dedication to science, public education
Pro-Emotion:
People are “endowed with inalienable rights,
that among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.”
American Ambivalence Towards Emotions
Anti Emotionality
1. 1960’s time of hedonistic chaos
2. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
3. Political ruin of Ed Muskie and Thomas Eagleton
4. Clint Eastwood, John Wayne as icons
Pro Emotionality
1. 1950’s time of stultifying emotional repression
2. Go with your feelings
3. Bill Clinton: “I feel your pain”
4. Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman as icons
Different Constraints Within a Culture
North vs. South United States and the
“Culture of Honor”
Dov Cohen and Richard Nisbett
Cultural Differences: North vs. South
North
South
Settled by farmers, urbanites
Settled by herders, aristocrats
Livelihood not easily stolen
Livelihood easily stolen
Cooperation, community are
adaptive
Independence, toughness are
adaptive
Honor is not paramount value
Honor is paramount value
Insult says something about
insulter
Insult says something about
one’s self
Differences in Violence,
North vs. South
Homicide in Cumberland Mtns: 10 times national rate,
twice as high as inner cities during 1980s
Violent past-times:
Purring, no holds bar fights, toss-rock-at-head game
Laws lenient re. honor-related violence
Killing unfaithful wife and lover justified in Texas
Jury acquits man who shoots name-callers
Percent Who Approve of Punching a Drunk Who
Bumps into One's Wife, Non-South vs. South
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Non-South
South
Percent Who Would Be Angry with Friend for a Month
Following a Fist-Fight or an Insult,
Mid-West vs. South
30
25
20
Fight
Insult
15
10
5
0
Mid-West
South
Homicide Rates Related to Insults
in Cities of Less than 200,000
North vs. South
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Felony Murders
Argument Murders
Non-South
South
Cohen and Nisbett Motorcycle Shop
Study
1. Employment request letters sent to cycle shops in North
and in South
2. “Applicant” is highly qualified motorcycle mechanic
3. BUT, applicant has a criminal past
a. Applicant stole money, went to prison
b. Applicant caught another man with his wife, thrashed
the man, went to prison.
4. Who hires Applicant?
Offer Job to Convict, Convicted of Stealing or
Honor-Motivated Manslaughter, North Vs. South
NORTH
SOUTH
THIEF
Low
Low
REVENGING
Low
High
HUSBAND
Sequence in Cohen and Nisbett
Insult Studies
1. Subjects: white males, non-Hispanic and non-Jewish
2. Subjects are from the North or the South
3. Subject told to walk down narrow corridor, drop off form and
return
4. S encounters/doesn’t encounter guy working a file cabinet.
5. Filer first grumpily makes way for S
6. When S returns filer bumps him and calls him “asshole”
Results of Insult Experiments
1. Insult Study 1: Emotions expressed after insult
* South: Anger
* North: Amusement
2. Insult Study 2: Stress and aggression hormone activation
* Cortisol: Higher among insulted Southerners
* Testosterone: Higher among insulted Southerners
3. Insult Study 3: Behavioral measures
a. Handshake
b. Dominance vs. Submission posture
Distance (in feet) Before Avoiding Fred the Bouncer
in “Chicken Game”, After No Insult or After Insult
North vs. South
120
100
No Insult
Insult
80
60
40
20
0
Non-South
South
Conclusions from Culture of Honor
Studies
1. Culture shapes meaning of events, and therefore
emotional reactions.
2. Culture shapes how people act on emotions
3. Implications for policy: change social conditions that
support need to project toughness.
Cross-Cultural Analysis of Emotion
Different societies face different environments, histories, and
current challenges
The factors influence emotional emphases
Hypercognized: Emphasized, have special names, objects
of discussion
Hypocognized: Underemphasized, not conceptualized.
Example: Anger vs contentment
Cultures Factors US vs. Japan
U.S.A.
Japan
Environ.
Wide open continent
Small Island
History
Settled by rebels,
1000 yrs, little immigration
people willing to break ties
Values
Distrust authority
Respect authority
Independence
Collectiveness
“I” self
“We” self
Innovation
Tradition
Emotions, US vs. Japan
Amae: Japanese positive emotion
Comfort in another’s complete acceptance
No US equivalent
Anger: Japan – OK between groups, not within group
US – OK to show anger to close others
Infant toy study: Baby approaches toy when mom shows
joy, fear, or anger, Japan vs. US
Saying “No” in US and Japan
USA
Japan
I don’t think this will work
That is interesting
No, we cannot do that
We would like to think
about that
Are you out of your %$##%
We may have a problem
mind???
Moral Emotions: Shame vs. Guilt
Asian vs. Western Cultures
Young-Hoon Kim & Dov Cohen, under review
Individualistic Cultures (USA/W. European)
Self is audience to own actions
Motive is personal dignity
Constraining emotions = Guilt
Collectivist Cultures (Asia)
Others are audience to own actions
Motive is saving face
Constraining emotion = Shame
Kim & Cohen Experimental Method
(Abridged)
Participants: 205 non-Hispanic Euro-Americans, 181 Asian Americans
Moral Transgression Survey:
Number of times that you:
____ Lied to parents
____ Talked about friend behind his/her back
Complete Survey from perspective of own self, OR significant others
Outcome measure: Thanks for being in this study. You get a free gift.
___ Handiwipes
___ Pencil
Moral Emotions: Shame vs. Guilt
Asian vs. Western Cultures
Young-Hoon Kim & Dov Cohen, under review
Chose Handwipe over Pencil
70
Euro-Americans
Asian-Americans
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Own Perspective
Others'
Perspective
Circumstances of US and Ifaluk
US
Ifaluk
Unlimited land space
Island size of 1/5th
Central Park
People stress selfreliance
People stress
interdependence
“Go West young man”
No where to go.
Society generally free
of natural disaster
Typhoons can wipe
out entire structures
Emotions of the Ifaluk
1. Ker = self-centered happiness, draw attn. to self,
rowdiness
2. Maluwelu: gentle, quiet, calm pleasantness
3. Song: Dissatisfaction with another’s break of
social decorum
4. Fago: Compassionate love/sadness. Most
valued emotion