Emotion Wade and Tavris 2005 Prentice Hall 2

Emotion Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 2

The Varieties of Emotion • Primary Emotions: – Emotions that are considered to be universal and biologically based; they generally include fear, anger, sadness, joy, surprise, disgust, and contempt. • Secondary Emotions: – Emotions that are specific to certain cultures. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 3

What is Emotion? • A state of arousal involving facial and bodily changes, brain activation, cognitive appraisals, subjective feelings, and tendencies toward action. • 3 Components: 1. Physiological changes (e. g. , fight or flight, increased heart rate) 2. Subjective feeling (e. g. , happiness) 3. Behavior (e. g. , smiling; running away) Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 4

The Chicken/Egg dilemma • Which happens first: do we feel the emotion first and then act, or do we react first then figure out the emotion? – What do you think? – Are you laughing because it’s funny, or do you think it’s funny because you laughed? – Have you ever felt unhappy or uneasy and not known why? Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 5

Chicken/Egg Dilemma • Most modern Psychologists now agree that these factors combine to form emotion • The Schachter Two-Factor theory of emotion, based on a study by Schachter & Singer (1962) • The theory that emotions depend on both physiological arousal and a cognitive interpretation of that arousal. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 6

Biology and emotion • 1. 2. 3. 3 Biological areas of emotion: Facial Expressions Brain Regions and circuits Autonomic Nervous System (physiological changes) Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 7

1. Facial Expressions • The process by which the facial muscles send feedback to the brain about the basic emotion being expressed. • Studies show that smiling will make you feel better; grimacing will make you feel angrier • Emotions are also contagious among people via facial expression Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 8

1. Facial Expressions • Evolutionary basis: Darwin argued that human facial expressions are a built-in product of evolution; – they evolved because they signaled friendly or hostile intent. – What do you think is the evolutionary purpose of the emotion of disgust? Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 9

Darwin’s Taxonomy of Emotion Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 10

Emotion and the body • Evidence: Certain emotional displays seem to be universal. – Recognized throughout the world – Appear early in development – Babies not only display emotions, but also recognize them • What’s the first thing a baby will probably do when she falls? Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 11

Can you identify these emotions? Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 12

How about these? Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 13

2. Brain Regions and Circuits • There is a long route and a short route from the thalamus (sensory input) to the amygdala (emotional processing) • The short route goes directly from the thalamus to the amygdala to the autonomic nervous system • The long route passes through the cerebral cortex and hippocampus for more detailed processing Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 14

2. Brain Regions and Circuits • The amygdala is hypersensitive to danger and will immediately trigger your autonomic nervous system • If the cerebral cortex later realizes there is no real danger, you will begin to relax • Why are we set up this way? (Hint: think of an evolutionary explanation) Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 15

2. Brain Regions and Circuits • Amygdala seems responsible for evaluating sensory information for emotional importance. • Cerebral cortex incorporates other information and can override the amygdala Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 16

2. Brain Regions and Circuits • Signals can travel back and forth between the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the cerebral cortex, but the amygdala is able to exert a stronger influence – Our brains tend to err on the side of caution Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 17

Research • What impact would damage to the amygdala have on your reaction to scary situations? • The amygdala is important in emotion, and especially important in allowing us to feel and recognize fear, anger, and disgust. • Phillips & Le. Doux (1992); Bechara et. al. (1995) Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 18

Other brain research • People with damage to the amygdala are less able to recognize fear in others. – Mirror Neurons allow us to not only recognize, but actually feel and experience others’ emotions as well as the reasons why they act (Iacoboni 2005) Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 19

3. Autonomic Nervous System (Physiological Responses) • When the amygdala signals fear, the sympathetic division of your autonomic nervous system releases hormones to assist you: – Epinephrine and norepinephrine dialate your pupils, increase your heart rate and breathing rate, raise your blood sugar, slow digestion, etc. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 20

3. Autonomic Nervous System (Physiological Responses) • Your body produces epinephrine and norepinephrine for most high affect emotions: – Excitement, anger, infatuation/love, worry, cheering at a sports event, playing a video game, etc. • Polygraph tests Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 21

Polygraph Tests • Tests autonomic responses: pulse, breathing rate, fidgeting, skin response • Not much specific psychological support • Inadmissible in most courts; illegal for most job screening • Some people do “beat” the test and lie, ie Aldrich Ames Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 22

Emotion and the Mind: Subjective Feeling • Appraisal: evaluation of an emotional state of being • One early theory is the Arnold theory: – Perception -> Appraisal -> Emotion • Lazarus has a newer, more complicated model which takes into account how the event may relate to us – Transactional: the environment produces emotions, and the individual finds ways to deal with them, respond to them, and may then change the environment. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 23

Lazarus’ Model of Appraisal • Primary Appraisal 1. Motivational Relevance: Does it impact you and your goals? If no, then there is no emotion. If yes, continue… 2. Motivational Congruence: Does it promote your goals? Yes results in positive emotions, no in negative. 3. Accountability: You or someone else? (helps determine type of emotion) Wade and Tavris © 2005 24 Prentice Hall

Examples • Your classmate tells your teacher you cheated on a test • Your boyfriend/girlfriend takes you out to dinner • You accidentally break your mom’s favorite vase • A Japanese company kills whales and dolphins for profit Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 25

Lazarus’ Model of Appraisal • Secondary Appraisal: Reacting/Coping – Who is responsible? – How likely is the situation to change? – What options are available? – Can you accept/process the situation emotionally? • Secondary and Primary appraisal interact – For example, if you can easily change a situation, it won’t upset you as much. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 26

Research • Speisman et. al. (1964) “Sub-incision” study • Aim: To see if cognitive appraisal impacts emotions • Procedure: All participants watch a film showing a right of passage for young adolescent boys in a primitive society in which the underside of the penis is cut deeply from the tip to the scrotum using a sharp stone Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 27

Speisman Procedure (cont’d) • IV: Subjects were divided into 4 groups, their videos were identical but had different soundtracks – Control: no soundtrack – Trauma condition: soundtrack played up the pain, danger and horror – Denial condition: narration said the boys were not hurt but were willing and joyful participants who "look forward to the happy conclusion of the ceremony. " – Scientific condition: narration encouraged viewer to consider the anthropological and scientific impact Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 28

Speisman et. al. (1964) • Procedure cont’d: Physiological (heart rate) and self-report (questionnaire) measures of emotion were taken • Findings: The trauma condition had a higher level of emotional reaction than the control; the denial and scientific conditions had less emotional reaction than the control • Conclusions & Criticisms? Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 29