EMOTION

An affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished f

rom cognitive and volitional stat

es of consciousness.

The Meaning

and Nature of Emotion

The term Emotion is derived from the Latin verb

“emoverse” meaning “to stir-up” or to “to move”. It

connotes a stirred-up bodily state.

Moods

Are mild emotions which last longer and are more temporary in nature, one who is irritable (mood) is

more predisposed to anger.

Is an emotional level characteristic of a person,

one may be usually cheerful or grouchy.

Temperament

Are the mildest form of affective states and concern dislikes and likes, one may

prefer sedentary occupations to the more

active vigorous ones.

Preferences

Are organize patterns of preferences, one may have

a favorable attitude towards dating or for

smoking.

Attitude

Are attitudes that have become formulated in advance of scientific

evidence, usually unfavorable and held with

emotional tenacity.

Prejudice

Theories of Emotion

Found three primary emotions present in a

newborn infant, fear, rage and love.

J.B Watson

Was elicited be loud noise, by dropping and usually consisted of crying and aimless activity.

Fear

Rage

Love

Was the result of restraint in movement and consisted of thrashing, breath, and crying.Was aroused by stroking and petting and involved a smile, laughter and cessation of crying.

Two men – a Danish physiologist and James in the 1880’s stated that the

impulse to act is the cause and not the result of the emotion, upon seeing a snake, we do not run because we are afraid, but are afraid because we run.

Running stirs visceral reaction and this is the emotion.

James-Lange Theory

Walter Bradford Cannon, an American physiologist, He

identified the hypothalamus is the center for emotions.

Cannon’s Thalamic Theory

Emotion as a conscious state and instinct as an inherited reaction, were two aspects of the same

activity.

McDougall’s Aspect Theory of Emotions and Instinct

Fear Emotion

Instinct to Escape

Instinct Combat

Anger Emotion

Emotions come after thinking

Central Theory

Emotion and thinking come at the same time.

Dana-Canon Theory

The pleasantness and unpleasantness of various emotional states are the

essence of the emotion and these feelings distinguish one emotion from other kinds of

states.

Hedonistic

Behavior can be aroused to different degrees, varying on a continuum from deep sleep to excited, emotional

states.

Activation Theory

Too much attention has been focused on the

expression of emotion rather than on the

perceptual analysis of the situation.

M. Arnold Theory

Analysis of Emotions

One in the learning process, Stimuli that produce pleasant or unpleasant feelings or mild,

or strong emotions result in great difference in the rate

and extent of learning

Motivates

The actions of individuals. This may be either

constructive depending upon the kind of emotions

provoked.

Enriches

Tensions and energy. This is especially so with fear where the excitement

releases energy.

Releases

Signification, Emotions reveal expressions that may not otherwise be expressed

through words.

Achieves

Individuals to heights of glory, creativeness or

ambition.

Inspires

The character traits of people so that conjunctive emotions like sympathy and joy join us

with people while the disjunctive emotions like anger

and sadness drive us away from people.

Accenture

The direction that behavior will take.

Determines

Many bodily processes either quickness or

disrupting certain behavior patterns.

Affects

Effects of Emotions

Physiological or Bodily Reactions

This is defined as the electrical resistance or

conductance to the flow of a very weak electrical current from one point of the skin to another which decrease with

increase in arousal

GSR – Galvanic Skin Response

Blood Pressure- associated in heart rate increase in heart beat and is

measured by an electrocardiogram ECG and sphygmonometer.

Blood changes on pressure, volume, and composition

Blood Volume-is regulated by constriction and dilation of blood

vessels.Blood Composition- changes in the

amount of blood sugar adrenalin.

This is measured by a pneumograph

Respiration

Studies indicate that the pupils of the eyes constrict in unpleasant states, fear and

dilates in pleasant states as a function of strong sympathetic

nervous system activity.

Pupillary Responses

This condition produces dryness in the mouth.

Salivary gland secretion is impeded

This is manifested in the shaking of the lips in fits of

uncontrolled by both sympathetic and

parasympathetic nervous system.

Muscle Tension and tremor

This is the result of the tightening of the muscles at

the base of the hair ends causing the hair to stand

erect and to cause the sensation of head swelling.

Pilomotor Responses

This activity of the digestive processes change causing or the tendency to throw

up.

Gastrointestinal motility

Metabolism increase and is manifested in the amount of body heat given off causing one to sweat or to perspire.

Metabolic rate increase

The adrenal medulla especially is activated.

Glandular

Factors Affecting Emotions

Culture teaches conventional ways of

expression to the children.

Imitation

Fear can, as in the Pavlovian experiment of the

dog and salvation, be conditioned.

Conditioning

A third way of learning emotions is thru

understanding of the consequences of certain

events.

Understanding

Classification of Emotions

Those related to one’s self and includes such emotion as pride, self-pity, shame,

anger, fear, loneliness, remorse and guilt.

Personal

Those related to other people like sympathy,

friendship, affection, or the negative ones like envy,

jealous, and hate.

Social

Those related to the higher faculties like one’s intellect

and consists of wonder, awe, desire, or the aesthetic

emotions like admiration, appreciation, awe, elation.

Intellectual and Aesthetic Emotions

Simple reactions to specific stimuli which may be good

or bad, present or not, difficult or easy to attain.

Basic Emotion

Consist of more than one emotion like hostility, being

a combination of fear, anger, jealousy, and lowered self-esteem.

Complex

A. Passiones Concupiscibiles: joy, sadness, desire, aversion, love and hatred.

Aquinas classifies emotions into:

B. Passiones Viascibiles: hope, despair, courage, and fear.

Developing an Emotionally Healthy

Personality

Exercise restraint, temperance and moderation

Cultivate a sense of humor

Learn to accept the inevitable things in life

Develop an attitude of consideration

Pursue a hobby

Be humble to accept your own mistakes

Avoid occasions that will cause violent emotion

Redirect the expression

Learn to accept yourself for what you are

Cultivate friendships

Some relevant news on Emotion

The very potent power of emotion, especially love, which

is a very energizing force is nowhere demonstrated than in studies related to children in

some orphanages in the States who have died within the first

year of admission the reason “ Deprivation Dwarfism”