Emotion, Day 2

Emotion is Multifaceted •  Emotion refers to the mix

of: 1. Physiological Arousal 2. Expressive Behaviors (how you react to the physiological arousal) 3. Conscious Experience (how you cognitively interpret environment)

Facial Expressions Are Universal •  No matter what part of the world you are

from, facial expressions indicating 6 basic emotions tend to be universal.

Facial Expressions Are Universal

•  The six universal emotions are:

Why the Universality?

n Evolu&onary  Perspec&ve  would  argue?    

 

Context Affects Interpretation of Facial Expressions

•  Because of the context, many interpret the bottom monster as fearful while seeing the top monster as angry even though they have the same facial expression.

Cultural Differences In Emotion Expression (Different Display Rules)

•  Although the facial language is universal worldwide, cultures differ in how much emotion they express.

•  Western cultures like North America often have intense, prolonged emotional displays while some Eastern cultures like Japan often hide their emotions, especially when the emotion is negative.

Effects of Facial Expressions •  Do we smile because we

are happy, or are we happy because we smile?

•  There is an interplay between the emotion and our expression of it. The muscle contractions associated with emotions tend to amplify that emotion.

Biology of Fear •  The body’s control

center for learning/enacting fear is the amygdala.

•  Loss or damage to one’s amygdala has lead to fearlessness in some patients.

Must Cognition Precede all Emotions?

•  Some pathways, especially ones involving amygdala (fear), bypass cortical areas involved in thinking.

•  Certain likes, dislikes, and fears do ignore conscious thinking.

Two Routes to Emotion

Appraisal

Event

Emotional response

The Physical Arousal of Emotion is Controlled by The Autonomic

Nervous System •  It is very difficult to differentiate the physical

arousal associated with many emotions (criticism of James-Lange Theory) even though they definitely feel different.

•  The arousal associated with emotions are controlled by the autonomic nervous system’s divisions the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Autonomic Nervous System’s Division Autonomic nervous system controls

physiological arousal

Sympathetic division (arousing)

Pupils dilate

Decreases

Perspires

Increases

Accelerates

Inhibits

Secrete stress hormones

Parasympathetic division (calming)

Pupils contract

Increases

Dries

Decreases

Slows

Activates

Decreases secretion of

stress hormones

EYES

SALIVATION

SKIN

RESPIRATION

HEART

DIGESTION

ADRENAL GLANDS

Can Measuring Arousal Detect Lies?

n Polygraph:    machine  commonly  used  to  in  a9empts  to  detect  lies.  

n Measures  Physiological  Responses  to  Emo7on  Including:  

§ perspira&on  § heart  rate  § blood  pressure  § breathing  changes  

Questioning Process With The “Lie Detector”

1. Subject is asked a Control Question: a type of question where you will give a truthful response (Is your birthday in May?)

2. Ask Relevant Question that you are interested in. Were you at the scene of the crime the day of

the murder? If there is a bigger physiological reaction to the

relevant question than the control question you are lying.

What Arguments Do Critics Make Against the “Lie Detector?”

Accuracy of the Polygraph Is Between 70 & 95%

n Is  this  a  good  level  of  accuracy?  n With  70%  Accuracy:  

– Assume  5%  of  1000  employees  actually  guilty  § test  all  employees  § 285  will  be  wrongly  accused  

n With  95%  Accuracy:  – Assume  1  in  1000  employees  actually  guilty  

§ test  all  employees  (including  999  innocents)  § 50  wrongly  declared  guilty  

Polygraph Accuracy Study Percentage

Innocent people

Guilty people

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Judged innocent by polygraph Judged guilty by polygraph

Detecting Emotion/Lies With Facial Expressions

•  Paul Ekman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXm6YbXxSYk) developed a system for classifying deception within emotional expression.

•  With experience and training it is possible to detect microexpressions which indicate guilt, despair, and fear.

•  Must play close attention to facial muscles which are nearly impossible to control.

expressing emotion (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp3ciwQl04U)

The Emotion of Anger: Is the Catharsis Theory True?

•  Catharsis: refers to an emotional release. The hypothesis argues that releasing aggressive energy can relieve our aggressive urges.