Emotion • The experience of feelings • Can activate and affect behavior but it is more difficult to predict the behavior prompted by a motivation Basic Emotions • Plutchik proposed that there are eight basic emotions • • • • Fear Surprise Sadness Disgust • • • • Anger Anticipation Joy Acceptance Plutchik’s Basic Emotions Basic Emotions • Some have criticized Plutchik’s model as applying only to English-speakers • Primary vs. Secondary Emotions – – – – Be evident in all cultures Contribute to survival Distinct facial expression Evident in Nonhuman primates • Revised model of basic emotions includes: – – – – – – Happiness Surprise Sadness Fear Disgust Anger Theories of Emotion Emotions are a mix of 1) physiological activation, 2) expressive behaviors, and 3) conscious experience. Controversy 1) Does physiological arousal precede or follow your emotional experience? 2) Does cognition (thinking) precede emotion (feeling)? Theories 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. James-Lange Theory Cannon-Bard Theory Schachter-Singer Theory Opponent Process Theory Cognitive-Appraisal Theory James-Lange Theory William James and Carl Lange proposed an idea that was diametrically opposed to the common-sense view. The James-Lange Theory proposes that physiological activity precedes the emotional experience. 2. James-Lange theory Body = emotion “Without the bodily states following on the perception, the latter would be purely cognitive in form; pale, colorless, destitute of emotional warmth. We might then see the bear, and judge it best to run... But we should not actually feel afraid.” (William James, 1890) James, 1890, v. 2, p. 449 (Gleitman) 2. James-Lange theory • Situation bodily reaction emotion FEAR or LOVE? Cannon-Bard Theory Walter Cannon and Phillip Bard questioned the JamesLange Theory and proposed that an emotion-triggering stimulus and the body's arousal take place simultaneously. Cannon-Bard Theory • See snake, run and fear simultaneous • Stimulus to thalamus -- sends simultaneous messages to: – Lymbic system (arousal) – Cortex (fear) Schachter-Singer Theory Two-Factor Theory Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer proposed yet another theory which suggests our physiology and cognitions create emotions. Emotions have two factors– physical arousal and cognitive label. 3. The Schachter theory • Situation bodily reaction emotion + cognitive appraisal FEAR LOVE The Schachter theory assumes that the body cannot tell us exactly what we are or should be feeling. Instead, even if we have a fast bodily reaction to something, it is our mind that decides what the emotion will be. FEAR LOVE 3. The Schachter theory • Testing the theory: • Schachter & Singer 1962: (didn’t take pill) (know what pill does) VERY ANGRY! Medium angry! Least angry VERY EXCITED! Medium excited! Least excited Opponent Process Theory • Opponent process theory suggests that any given emotion also has an opposed emotion. (Fear/Relief or Sadness/Happiness) • Activation of one member of the pair automatically suppresses the opposite emotion • But the opposing emotion can serve to diminish the intensity of the initial emotion. Opponent-Process Theory • Solomon and Corbit (1974) – The opponent-process theory states that when one emotion is experienced, the other is suppressed. For example, if you are frightened by a mean dog, the emotion of fear is expressed and relief is suppressed. If the fear-causing stimulus continues to be present, after a while the fear decreases and the relief intensifies. Opponent Process Theory Cognitive-Appraisal Theory • Sequence – Stimulus (object, event, or thought) – Appraisal of how this affects your well-being (consciously or unconsciously) – Emotion (fear, anger, happiness, …) – Physiological responses and behavior • For an emotion to occur, it is necessary to first think about the situation. Cognition Can Define Emotion An arousal response to one event spills over into our response to the next event. Spill over effect Reuters/ Corbis AP Photo/ Nati Harnik Arousal from a soccer match can fuel anger, which may lead to rioting. Arousal fuels emotion, cognition channels it. Cognition and Emotion What is the connection between how we think (cognition) and how we feel (emotion)? Can we change our emotions by changing our thinking? 8 SEE… YOU REACTED BECAUSE YOU KNOW