Emotion � Theories of Emotion

♦ James-Lange & Cannon-Bard ♦ cognition & emotion ♦ Schacter’s two-factor theory of emotion

♦ Two dimensions of emotion � The physiology of emotion

♦ Arousal ♦ specific physiological states

♦ lie detection

� Expressing Emotion

♦ nonverbal communication • gender & nonverbal behavior • detecting & computing emotion

♦ culture and emotional expression

♦ the effects of facial expressions

� Experiencing Emotion ♦ fear

• learning fear

• the biology of fear

♦ anger

• catharsis

♦ happiness

• feel-good, do-good • subjective well-being • the adaptation-level principle • relative deprivation

• predictors of happiness

Study Questions / Review - Emotion 1) Identify the three components of emotion.

2) Contrast and critique the James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theories of emotion, and describe Schacter’s two-factor theory of emotion.

3) Discuss evidence suggesting that some emotional reactions involve no conscious thought, and describe the two dimensions of emotion.

4) Describe two problems that Walter cannon identified with the James-Lange theory.

5) Describe the physiological changes that occur during emotional arousal, noting the relationship between arousal and performance.

6) Discuss the research findings on the relationship between body states and specific emotions.

7) Discuss the effectiveness of the polygraph in detecting lies.

8) Explain the relationship between performance and arousal.

9) Discuss gender and personality differences in nonverbal communication, and describe people’s varying abilities to detect deceit.

10) Discuss whether nonverbal expressions of emotions are universally understood, and describe the effects of facial expressions on emotion.

11) Discuss the significance of environmental and biological factors in the acquisition of fear.

12) Discuss the catharsis hypothesis and identify some of the advantages and disadvantages of openly expressing anger.

13) Identify some potential causes and consequences of happiness, and discuss reasons for the relativity of happiness.

14) Explain why some researchers think that some fears are biologically predisposed.

15) Identify some potential problems with expressing anger.

Practice Test

1. An inexperienced pilot prepares for an emergency landing after her singleengine plane loses power. Her increasing level of emotional arousal is likely to be accompanied by: a) a decreased respiration rate. b) constriction of her pupils. c) increases in her blood sugar level. d) increased salivation. e) all of the above.

2. Mr. Hanson is strongly suspected of embezzling money from his employer. He has denied the allegation. To determine

whether he is lying, investigators are most likely to invite Mr. Hanson to take a(n) ________ test. a) electrocardiograph b) electroencephalograph c) polygraph d) myograph e) tomograph

3. The suggestion that “a happy face creates a merry soul” is most consistent with the: a) Cannon-Bard theory. b)

catharsis hypothesis. c) adaptation-level principle. d) James-Lange theory. e) relative deprivation principle.

4. Hohmann discovered that the ________ an individual's spinal cord injury, the more feelings of anger tended to ________ in intensity following the injury. a) higher; decrease b) higher; increase c) lower; decrease d) lower; increase

5. Astrid was emotionally aroused by a TV horror movie. She became extremely angry when her younger brother

momentarily blocked her view of the screen. When her movie viewing was interrupted by a phone call from her boyfriend, however, she experienced unusually intense romantic feelings. Astrid's emotional reactivity to her brother and her boyfriend is best explained by the: a) catharsis hypothesis. b) James-Lange theory. c) adaptation-level principle. d) two-factor theory. e) Cannon-Bard theory.

6. People's longterm feelings of life satisfaction are typically ________ by a tragic event and ________ by a dramatically

positive event. a) decreased; largely unchanged b) decreased; increased c) largely unchanged; increased d) largely unchanged; largely unchanged

7. The assumption underlying the use of the polygraph in criminal investigations is that denial of involvement in a crime

is most likely to ________ arousal in suspects who are actually ________. a) increase; guilty b) decrease; guilty c) increase; innocent d) decrease; innocent

8. When Mrs. Van Dyke first acquired a new luxury car, she was ecstatic. After several months, however, she took the car

for granted and it gave her little sense of emotional excitement. This change in her feelings can best be explained in terms of the: a) adaptation-level principle. b) relative deprivation principle. c) catharsis hypothesis. d) James-Lange theory. e) two-factor theory.

9. The concept of relative deprivation refers to the perception that: a) yesterday's luxuries are today's necessities. b)

things are never quite as bad as they could be. c) one is worse off than those with whom one compares oneself. d) happiness is simply a state of mind. e) happiness can't last forever.

10. The most unambiguous nonverbal clue to our specific emotional state is provided by our: a) respiration rate. b) hand gestures. c) body posture. d) facial muscles. e) pupil contraction and dilation.

11. In their dispute over the nature of emotion, Zajonc and Lazarus disagree on whether: a) cognition must precede

emotion. b) the physiological states underlying specific emotions are distinguishable. c) genetic or environmental factors are more important in shaping our emotions. d) intensity and valence are the basic dimensions of our emotional experience.

12. Research on the well-being of Americans indicates that the: a) vast majority of Americans currently declare

themselves to be very happy. b) personal happiness of Americans has been increasing over the last 40 years. c) spendable income of Americans (adjusted for inflation) has been decreasing over the last 40 years. d) increase in the personal income of Americans over the past 40 years has provided no apparent boost to Americans' personal happiness.

13. Although newspapers reported that a murder victim had been stabbed with a knife, two police investigators knew that

the actual murder weapon was a letter opener. While carefully monitoring the changes in heart rate and perspiration level of a prime suspect, the investigators asked him if he typically used a letter opener on his mail. The investigators were making use of the: a) two-factor theory. b) adaptation-level phenomenon. c) relative deprivation principle. d) guilty knowledge test. e) catharsis hypothesis.

14. Which of the following is not one of the basic components of emotion identified in the text? a) physiological arousal

b) pupil contraction c) conscious experience d) expressive behavior

15. Which of the following emotional reactions is most likely to precede any conscious thinking? a) guilt b) love c) fear d) happiness

16. Which brain structure has been found to be especially important in learning to fear specific objects? a) hypothalamus

b) amygdala c) corpus callosum d) hippocampus e) thalamus

17. Researchers have found that people experience cartoons as more amusing while holding a pen with their teeth than while holding it with their lips. This best illustrates the: a) catharsis hypothesis. b) relative deprivation principle. c) “facial feedback” effect. d) adaptation-level phenomenon. e) feel-good, do-good phenomenon.

18. Research suggests that people experience the most happiness when they are: a) eating. b) daydreaming. c)

highly self-aware. d) engaged in challenging activities.

19. The James-Lange theory is most consistent with the suggestion that: a) big fish are happiest in small ponds. b) behind dark clouds the sun still shines. c) expressing angry feelings reduces rage. d) a gloomy face saddens the soul. e) going through the motions eliminates emotions.

20. When guilty knowledge tests are used in criminal investigations, ________ suspects are ________ judged guilty by

polygraph examiners. a) innocent; typically b) guilty; always c) guilty; seldom d) innocent; seldom

21. Which theory suggests that you would not experience intense anger unless you were first aware of your racing heart or of other symptoms of physiological arousal? a) the relative deprivation theory b) the James-Lange theory c) the adaptation-level theory d) the Cannon-Bard theory

22. Who suggested that the physiological reactions associated with a variety of different emotions were much the same?

a) William James b) Walter Cannon c) Robert Zajonc d) Charles Darwin

23. If people who have just been aroused by watching rock videos are insulted, their feelings of anger will be greater than those of people who have been similarly provoked but were not previously aroused. This is best explained by the: a) relative deprivation principle. b) Cannon-Bard theory. c) catharsis hypothesis. d) two-factor theory. e) adaptation-level principle.

24. Whether we feel angry or depressed in response to a low exam grade depends on whether we attribute the poor grade to an unfair test or to our own lack of academic ability. This best illustrates that emotions are influenced by: a) physical arousal. b) relative deprivation. c) cognitive appraisals. d) genetic predispositions.

25. The instantaneous and automatic fear response experienced when unexpectedly stumbling upon a snake illustrates the

importance of the: a) amygdala. b) hypothalamus. c) pituitary gland. d) hippocampus.

26. Activation of the sympathetic nervous system ________ salivation and ________ blood pressure. a) increases; increases b) decreases; decreases c) increases; decreases d) decreases; increases

27. Julie will be competing in a basketball free throw contest. Her performance is likely to be ________ if her

physiological arousal during the performance is ________. a) best; very low b) best; very high c) best; moderate d) worst; moderate e) mediocre; moderate

28. A lie detector machine is used to monitor people's: a) insulin levels. b) stomach contraction. c) brain activity.

d) respiration.

29. People who were exposed to different parts of emotion-laden faces detected anger mostly from the ________ and happiness mostly from the ________. a) eyes; mouth b) mouth; eyes c) eyes; eyes d) mouth; mouth

30. Who would have been most likely to suggest that the facial expression of disgust is an inherited behavioral trait that

enables us to quickly eject foul-tasting and harmful food from our mouths? a) Richard Lazarus b) Stanley Schachter c) Charles Darwin d) Walter Cannon

31. If you mimic another person's facial expressions of emotion, you probably will feel increasing empathy for that person.

This is best explained in terms of the: a) catharsis hypothesis. b) relative deprivation principle. c) James-Lange theory. d) feel-good, do-good phenomenon. e) Cannon-Bard theory.

32. People ________ the long-term emotional impact of sustaining a paralyzing physical injury and they ________ the

long-term emotional impact of acquiring wealth. a) overestimate; underestimate b) underestimate; overestimate c) overestimate; overestimate d) underestimate; underestimate

33. Luciano believes that the best way to get over the anger he feels toward one of his high school teachers is to scream

shameful profanities while hitting a punching bag. His belief best illustrates the: a) relative deprivation principle. b) feel-good, do-good phenomenon. c) adaptation-level phenomenon. d) catharsis hypothesis. e) guilty knowledge test.

34. After receiving exciting news about the birth of a healthy grandson, Mr. Haney was easily persuaded to contribute a

generous sum of money to a neighborhood church. This best illustrates the: a) two-factor theory. b) adaptation-level phenomenon. c) James-Lange theory. d) relative deprivation principle. e) feel-good, do-good phenomenon.

35. Professor Crane was ecstatic when he learned that one of his research studies had been approved for publication. His

feelings of joy quickly dissipated, however, when he heard a colleague recently had three different research articles accepted for publication. His declining emotional satisfaction is best explained in terms of the: a) “facial feedback” effect. b) relative deprivation principle. c) James-Lange theory. d) adaptation-level phenomenon. e) catharsis hypothesis.

36. Who suggested that we can stimulate the subjective experience of cheerfulness simply by acting as if we are already

cheerful? a) William James b) Walter Cannon c) Stanley Schachter d) Richard Lazarus

37. The importance of autonomic nervous system arousal to our subjective experience of emotion is most clearly minimized by the: a) two-factor theory. b) James-Lange theory. c) catharsis hypothesis. d) Cannon-Bard theory.

38. When Mr. Morgan began to misinterpret his harmless symptoms of autonomic nervous system arousal as indicative of an impending heart attack, he suffered an unusually intense level of fear. His emotional suffering is best understood in terms of the: a) catharsis hypothesis. b) James-Lange theory. c) relative deprivation principle. d) adaptation-level principle. e) two-factor principle.

39. The physiological arousal of parents who momentarily lose their young child in a large shopping mall can actually

heighten their feelings of elation shortly thereafter when the child is found. This is best explained by the: a) catharsis hypothesis. b) Cannon-Bard theory. c) two-factor theory. d) James-Lange theory. e) relative deprivation principle.

40. Evidence that emotion precedes physiological arousal would be most inconsistent with the _______. Evidence that

emotion precedes mentally labeling our physiological arousal would be most inconsistent with the ________. a) relative deprivation principle; adaptation-level principle b) adaptation-level principle; relative deprivation principle c) James-Lange theory; two-factor theory d) two-factor theory; James-Lange theory

41. Antonio's car stalls in the middle of a railroad crossing just as a train is rapidly approaching. His emotional arousal is

likely to be accompanied by: a) a decreased blood sugar level. b) an increased respiration rate. c) contraction of the arteries. d) dilation of his pupils.

42. Shondra, an experienced member of her high school swimming team, has just recently joined her high school debate

team. A high level of physiological arousal during team competition is likely to ________ her swimming performance and ________ her debate performance. a) enhance; enhance b) enhance; disrupt c) disrupt; enhance d) disrupt; disrupt

43. Exuberant infants and alert, energetic adults are especially likely to show high levels of brain activity in the: a)

limbic system. b) sensory cortex. c) cerebellum. d) left frontal lobe.

44. An approach to lie detection that assesses a suspect's physiological response to details of a crime known only to police investigators is called the: a) relative deprivation principle. b) catharsis hypothesis. c) adaptation-level principle. d) feel-good, do-good phenomenon. e) guilty knowledge test.

45. Feigned smiles are initiated ________ abruptly and last for a ________ time than genuine smiles. a) more; shorter

b) less; longer c) more; longer d) less; shorter

46. Compared to North Americans, Asians are ________ likely to display feelings of anger and ________ likely to display feelings of shame. a) less; less b) more; more c) less; more d) more; less

47. If people wrinkle their nose in disgust when presented with a strange-looking food, they are likely to experience an

increasingly intense emotional aversion to the food. This best illustrates the: a) Cannon-Bard theory. b) relative deprivation principle. c) feel-good, do-good phenomenon. d) catharsis hypothesis. e) “facial feedback” effect.

48. Ariana believes that yelling at her husband serves to calm her angry feelings toward him. Her belief is most clearly

inconsistent with the: a) adaptation-level principle. b) James-Lange theory. c) catharsis hypothesis. d) relative deprivation principle.

49. The feel-good, do-good phenomenon refers to the impact of ________ on ________. a) optimism; good health b)

mood; self-control c) happiness; helpfulness d) empathy; interpersonal conflict

50. A celebrity actress experiences ever-increasing levels of professional acclaim following each successful movie role. Yet with each success, she experiences no more than a temporary surge of subjective well-being. This is best explained in terms of the: a) catharsis hypothesis. b) James-Lange theory. c) two-factor theory. d) adaptation-level phenomenon. e) relative deprivation principle.

Answer Key

1. c increases in her blood sugar level.

2. c polygraph

3. d James-Lange theory.

4. a higher; decrease

5. d two-factor theory.

6. d largely unchanged; largely unchanged

7. a increase; guilty

8. a adaptation-level principle.

9. c one is worse off than those with whom one compares oneself.

10. d facial muscles.

11. a cognition must precede emotion.

12. d increase in the personal income of Americans over the past 40 years has provided no apparent boost to Americans'

personal happiness. 13. d

guilty knowledge test. 14. b

pupil contraction 15. c

fear 16. b

amygdala 17. c

“facial feedback” effect. 18. d

engaged in challenging activities. 19. d

a gloomy face saddens the soul. 20. d

innocent; seldom 21. b

the James-Lange theory 22. b

Walter Cannon 23. d

two-factor theory. 24. c

cognitive appraisals. 25. a

amygdala. 26. d

decreases; increases 27. c

best; moderate 28. d

respiration. 29. a

eyes; mouth 30. c

Charles Darwin 31. c

James-Lange theory. 32. c

overestimate; overestimate 33. d

catharsis hypothesis. 34. e

feel-good, do-good phenomenon. 35. b

relative deprivation principle. 36. a

William James 37. d

Cannon-Bard theory. 38. e

two-factor principle. 39. c

two-factor theory. 40. c

James-Lange theory; two-factor theory 41. b

an increased respiration rate. 42. b

enhance; disrupt 43. d

left frontal lobe. 44. e

guilty knowledge test. 45. c

more; longer 46. c

less; more 47. e

“facial feedback” effect. 48. b

James-Lange theory. 49. c

happiness; helpfulness 50. d

adaptation-level phenomenon.