EMOTIONS

Emotion is a relatively brief reaction to stimuli involving subjective feelings, physiological arousal, and observable

behavior.

Motivation & Emotion

• Motivation is the source of our behavior.

• Emotion is the feelings associated with our behavior.• Emotions can function as

motivation• Hit someone because

you are angry• Do something because

it makes you happy

The Brain and Emotionhttp://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/i

ntroduction-to-emotions.html#lesson

Functions of EmotionIncrease, decrease or

regulate arousalFocus perception and

attentionInfluence learning &

memory Organize and motivate

behaviorCommunicate with others

Four Components of Emotion

1. Interpret, appraise some stimulus (ex. Shark = serious threat)

2. Experience a feeling (fear, terror, excitement)

3. Physiological response (heart rate or breathing change)

4. Show observable behaviors (cry, panic, freeze)

Theories Of Emotion

1.Physiological Theories

2.Cognitive Theories

Physiological Theories of Emotion

Main Belief – Emotions derive from physical changes in the body

EX = fear heightened when heart races (panic attack)

Emotion and PhysiologyAutonomic nervous system controls

physiological arousal

Sympatheticdivision (arousing)

Pupils dilate

Decreases

Perspires

Increases

Accelerates

Inhibits

Secrete stresshormones

Parasympatheticdivision (calming)

Pupils contract

Increases

Dries

Decreases

Slows

Activates

Decreasessecretion of

stress hormones

EYES

SALIVATION

SKIN

RESPIRATION

HEART

DIGESTION

ADRENALGLANDS

Main Belief – Emotions result from mental processes and physiological

changes working together

Cognitive Theories of Emotion

James-LangeTheory of Emotion= I see a bear, my muscles tense, I feel afraid!

Experience of emotion is awareness of physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli (react and then label)

Fear(emotion)

Poundingheart

(arousal)

Sight of oncoming

car(perception of

stimulus)

Cannon-BardTheory of Emotion = I see a bear, I feel afraid and my muscles tense!

Sympathetic NS too slow to account for the speed of emotional reactions = problem with James-Lange.

Emotion-arousing stimuli simultaneously trigger: physiological responses subjective experience

of emotion

Sight of oncoming

car(perception of

stimulus)

Poundingheart

(arousal)

Fear(emotion)

Schachter’s Two-Factor Theory of Emotion = I feel nervous. I must be scared!

To experience emotion one must: be physically

aroused cognitively

label the arousal

Then label the feeling

Cognitivelabel

“I’m afraid”

Fear(emotion)

Sight of oncoming

car(perception of

stimulus)

Poundingheart

(arousal)

Facial Expressions and EmotionFunction = communicate emotion to othersPaul Ekman

some facial expressions are universal & few of us (10 – 20%) can hide true emotions

Communicate 3 things What emotion is being experienced Whether 2 emotions are blended Strength of emotion

identified six emotions associated with universal facial expressions (30 yr study)

Culturally Universal Expressions

A = happiness B = surprise C = fear D = sadness E = anger F = disgust

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/categorizing-emotions.html#lesson

Expressed Emotion People more speedily detect an angry

face than a happy one

Gender and expressiveness Women

have greater emotional responsiveness

Usually better at reading emotions

Express empathy more Better at expressing

happiness

Men Women

Sad Happy ScaryFilm Type

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Numberof

expressions

Experienced Emotion Infants’ naturally occurring emotions

Tony Robbins: Why We Do What We Dohttp://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/tony_robbin

s_asks_why_we_do_what_we_do.html