Post on 19-Feb-2016
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Understanding EmotionsDavitz 1970 found 556 words and phrases that are emotion related.
Universal emotional expressions are:-Happiness, Anger, Sadness, Disgust, Fear and Surprise
What is Emotion?
‘Emotion is a transitory, valenced experience that is felt with some intensity as happening to the self , generated in part by a cognitive appraisal of situations and accompanied by both learned and innate physical responses.’
Components1. Subjective experience of the emotion
2. Internal bodily reaction
3. cognitions about the emotion and situations
4. facial expression
5. a global reaction
6. action tendency)
4 Theoretical Research Traditions on Emotions:‘Darwinian’ - (Darwin, 1972) Emotions
have adaptive functions - are universal‘Jamesian’ - (James, 1884) Emotions =
bodily responses ‘Cognitive’- (Arnold, 1960) Emotions are
based on appraisals‘Social Constructivist’ - (Averill, 1980)
Emotions are social constructions and serve social purposes
The brain and emotion
The amygdala
The orbitofrontal cortex
Animal studies
The Darwinian Tradition
Emotional expression is ADAPTIVE readiness to face challenges communicates intentions to others
Evidence:Universal facial expressionsInfants Basic emotions (e.g.: Ekman’s ‘Big Seven’)
EMOTION IS INNATE
The Jamesian Tradition
Experience of emotion due to peripheral responses. Conscious aspect arises later when brain observes the response
Distinguishable patterns of arousal for each emotion
BODILY CHANGES = EMOTION‘We are afraid because we run’
Evidence supporting JamesPattern of autonomic changes DOES vary
with different emotional states
People reliving emotional experiences show different patterns of autonomic activity
Hohmann (1966) spinal cord injuries reduce peripheral responses - less intense emotion
The Facial Feedback HypothesisEmotional experience is determined in part
by feedback from facial expressions
It should be possible to manipulate how a person feels by manipulating their face
Movements of face provide sufficient peripheral information to fuel experience of emotion
The Cannon Bard TheoryTwo criticisms to James-Lange theory
Physiological mechanisms are too slow Not specific enough Instead - direct CNS experience of emotion,with or
without feedback : thalamus indicated
More recent :Various parts of CNS involved Strong emotions CAN bypass cortex (thalamus to
amygdala)
Physiology of Emotions Autonomic Nervous System
Either branch can be activated during an emotion Sympathetic branch excites organs under its
control - increase heart rate when angry/in fear Parasympathetic branch inhibits organs - causes
tears to flow when grieving
Emotions - Brain MechanismsStudies with animals and brain damage patients tell
us there are: 3 basic feature of brain’s control of emotion:Cerebral hemisphereLimbic system (amygdala)Papez Loop (anatomical circuit beginning and
ending in the hippocampal formation that he proposed subserved emotional experience (Papez, 1937).
The Schacter-Singer TheoryAROUSAL + COGNITION = EMOTION
The Misattribution Paradigm
Excitation Transfer Studies
Conclusion: Cognitive factors important in generation of emotion
The Cognitive PerspectiveEMOTIONS ARE BASED ON APPRAISALS
Emotions are responses to the meaning of events - associated with goals & motivations
Different emotions are associated with different patterns of appraisal
Change the way an event is appraised & change the emotion e.g. :Lazarus
Conclusions
‘Peripheral autonomic responses (including facial responses) and the cognitive interpretation of those responses play a role in the experience of emotion. In addition there is some direct experience of emotion by CNS, independent of physiological responses.’
Social Constructivism
Cultural variation in emotion recognition/emotion words/tone of voice
Emotion Culture (e.g.: Ifaluk tribe/medical students)
Categorisation of emotion differs across culturesSocial Referencing
EMOTIONS ARE CULTURAL PRODUCTS
Personality may affect mood or internal emotional state
Mild head injury can produce emotional changesHeller (1990) - >60% of people with left frontal-lobe lesions met DSM
III criteria for depression. Damage to the left frontal region associated with major
or minor depression as found in 60% stroke victims.The probability of depression is much higher in the
left than the right - belittles argument
Euphoria
Right hemisphere damage may result in euphoria and lack of concern about physical and psychological consequences of damage. may also show inappropriate affect, bursting into tears for no reason as so happy when told of a sad event eg a death.
Rehabilitation of emotional functioning is especially important -
a long-term study suggests that individuals who sustain head injury are most disabled by emotional and personality disturbances (Lezak, 1987).
DiseaseHuntington's disease typically is manifested by
changes in emotional functioning (Lieberman 1979) 50% have major depressive episodes. Behaviour is reminiscent of the inappropriate behaviour of individuals with frontal lobe damage (Cummings & Benson, 1988).
Inappropriate sexual behaviour Laughter Therapy
EMOTIONS & HEALTH
LOOKING AT APPLIED VALUE
Emotion, Stress & HealthHans Selye
Psychological factors influence physical health through stress response
In short term stress response is adaptive - helps us cope
Long term - changes can be maladaptive and lead to ill health
Stress & Infections
Emotional events can cause stressNeural & hormonal activity linked to stress
may influence immune function
Stress & Infections - EvidenceLab animals kept in stressful circumstances
(e.g.: overcrowding, loud noise etc) show depressed immune function
Stress has similar effects on humansGlaser et al (1987) Students have more
respiratory infections during finalsParkes & Brown (1972) Bereavement
Stress & Positive Emotions
Positive affective states appear to facilitate the body’s natural regenerative processes.
Possible to teach techniques to self-generate positive emotional states in order to have beneficial effects on health
Improvements have been seen in several patient groups