WHAT EMOTIONS CAN DO Human Motivation and...

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Human Motivation and Emotion

46-332-01Dr. Fuschia SiroisLecture 18 Nov. 14, 2006Lecture 19 Nov. 16, 2006

WHAT EMOTIONS CAN DO

Enrich our livesMotivate our behaviorIntensify our defensive behavior (anger)Accelerate flight (fear)Encourage prosocial behavior (happiness)Slow us down (sadness)Demonstrate our judgment (disgust, contempt)Add emphasis to our experiences

Three Ways to Measure Emotion

Body/Physical

Thoughts

Behavior


Body/Physical blood pressure

heart rate

adrenaline levels

muscle activity when smiling, frowning, etc.

neural images

posture

tears,

perspiration

lie detector readings

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Physiology of Emotion

Sympathetic nervous systemAmygdalaHemispheres of the brain

William James on Emotion

Common sense has it that we run from the bear because we are afraid, but, actually, we are afraid because we run from the bear.

James’ TheoryThe perception of bodily changes IS the emotion.

James-LangePerception of feedback from the gut is the emotion.

Theories of EmotionJames-Lange Theory

An emotion-provoking stimulus directly produces physiological changes and behavior, and then these events produce the feeling of an emotion.

Fear

Theories of Emotion

physiological changes occur before emotional reactions emotions are identified based on context

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THEORIES OF EMOTION

James-Lange theoryOur brain interprets specific physiological changes as emotionsThere is a different pattern for each emotion.

SequencePhysiological changesBrain interprets physiological changesPerson feels specific emotionPerson shows observable behavior

Problem:Different emotions not necessarily associated with different physiological responsesExample: anger, fear and sadness share similar physiological patterns of arousal

Criticisms of James-Lange Theory (Cannon)

Bodily changes could be eliminated without disturbing emotions

Feedback from physiological changes are similar for different emotions – thus could not determine emotional state

Viscera (feedback to brain for emotional experience) are not very sensitive

Changes to viscera too slow to provide experience of emotion

Artificially inducing arousal did not lead to “emotion”

Theories of Emotions

Theories of emotionCannon-Bard theory of emotion

The theory that an emotion-provoking stimulus is transmitted simultaneously to the cortex, providing the feeling of emotion, and to the sympathetic nervous system, causing the physiological arousal

Theories of Emotions

Theories of emotionCannon-Bard theory of emotion

The theory that an emotion-provoking stimulus is transmitted simultaneously to the cortex, providing the feeling of emotion, and to the sympathetic nervous system, causing the physiological arousalCognitive labeling and action would follow consciousness of feeling and physiological arousal

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Theories of Emotion

Emotion is felt first and actions follow from cognitive appraisal, e.g., direct link from stimulus to feelings

THEORIES OF EMOTION

Cannon-Bard theoryEmotions not produced by bodily responsesEmotions accompany bodily responsesSequence

Perception of external stimulusExternal stimulus processed by brainEmotions experienced and bodily responses triggered

Cognitive theorySimilar to Cannon-Bard theoryPerson relies on a cognitive assessment of stimulus to identify which emotion is being experienced

STUDIES OF COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF EMOTION

Schachter and Singer (1962)Volunteers injected with epinephrineSome told that injection would make them nervousOthers not given this informationAll exposed to “stooge” doing “crazy” thingsResult:

Informed volunteersDid not report emotional arousal

Uninformed volunteersReported emotional arousal

Supported cognitive theory

Schacter and Singer’s Theory

Emotion is a composite of arousal and a hypothesis about what caused the arousal. We see ourselves as experiencing, and we experience, whatever emotion is appropriate to the hypothesis.

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Theories of Emotion

Emotions arise

from cognitive

labeling ofsensations

andfeedback

fromphysiologicalresponses

Emotions a la Evolutionary Biopsychological Perspectives

Emotions are called basic because of:

Their hypothesized role in evolutionTheir biological and social functionsTheir primacy in human development

Emotions are the basis for coping strategies and adaptation.

Differential Emotions Theory (DET)

An Evolutionary Biosocial TheoryEmotion is a motivational condition, a direct and immediate product of specific neural associations.Emotions exist separate from cognition.

I do not think, therefore I feel.

DET Criteria for Basic Emotions

Assumed to have neural substrates.Unique and universally recognized facial expressions for each emotion.A unique feeling state for each emotion.Unique purpose/motivation

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Expression of Emotion

Range of emotionEkman and Friesen

Claim there are subtle distinctions in the facial expression of a single emotion that convey its intensity

Development of facial expressionsLike the motor skills of crawling and walking, facial expressions of emotions develop according to a biological timetable of maturationConsistency of emotional development across individual infants and across cultures supports the idea that emotional expression is inborn

Experiencing Emotion

Facial-feedback hypothesisSylvan Tomkins

Claimed that the facial expression itself – that is, the movement of the facial muscles producing the expression – triggers both the physiological arousal and the conscious feeling associated with the emotion

Facial-feedback hypothesisThe idea that the muscular movements involved in certain facial expressions trigger the corresponding emotionsPurpose: emotional activation

Put on a happy face!

The facial feedback hypothesisDog ANS arousal in face ↔ Facial expression cognitive interpretation of face motions fear

Emotion and the Face

Facial Feedback HypothesisRegulating Ongoing Expressions

Voluntary changes of spontaneous facial expressions alter the subjective feel of affect according to the facial feedback hypothesis.

Criticism of the Facial Feedback HypothesisAffect occurs even when facial muscles are paralyzed. The stimulus, not facial muscles may ultimately be responsible for affect.

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Facial-feedback hypothesisEkman and colleagues

Documented the effects of facial expressions on physiological indicators of emotion using 16 participantsReported that a distinctive physiological response pattern emerged for the emotions of fear, sadness, anger, and disgust, whether the participants relived one of their emotional experiences or simply made the corresponding facial expressionResearcher found that both anger and fear accelerate heart rate, but fear produces colder fingers than does anger

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

80 muscles in the face, 3 dozen are influential in facial expression (Reeve, 1997).If there is no distinctive facial expression, then there is no emotion (Ekman).Facial feedback is interpreted by the brain as being a certain emotion.Once an emotion is activated, the whole body becomes aroused.•Arousal and external stimuli maintain the emotion after facial feedback initiates it.


Facial-feedback hypothesis Izard

Believes that learning to self-regulate emotional expression can help in controlling emotionsProposes that this approach to the regulation of emotion might be a useful adjunct to psychotherapy

Gender differences in experiencing emotionDavid Buss

Has reported that women are far more likely to feel anger when their partner is sexually aggressiveMen experience greater anger than women when their partner withholds sex


Universality of facial expressionsCharles Darwin

First to study the relationship between emotions and facial expressionsBelieved that the facial expression of emotion was an aid to survival because it enabled people to communicate their internal states and react to emergencies before they developed languageMaintained that most emotions, and the facial expressions that convey them, are genetically inherited and characteristic of the entire human speciesConcluded that facial expressions were similar across cultures

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Thoughts (observed indirectly through)spoken and written words on rating scales

answers to open-ended questions on surveys and during interviews

responses to projective instruments, sentence stems, etc.

self-assessments or perceptions regarding the behavior and intentions of others

other cognitive operations such as rational/logical thinking


Behavior facial expressions

activity level

alertness

screaming

laughing

smiling

– aggression

– approach/avoidance

– attention/distraction

– insomnia

– anhedonia

Facial Expressions

Facial expressions are often involuntary, but they occur more often in social situations

However, this does not tell us why these emotions occur or what it means to call them ‘basic’


Universality of facial expressionsScherer and Wallbott

Found very extensive overlap in the patterns of emotional experiences reported across cultures in 37 different countries on 5 continents

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Universality

66%90%62%100%90%100%Japan

54%90%78%95%92%98%Argent.

68%94%88%93%92%95%Chile

67%90%59%87%97%95%Brazil

85%67%84%95%92%97%US

FearAngerSadSurprise

DisgustHappyCulture

Basic, innate emotions?

Facial Expressions

Can you match these eight emotions (angry, disgust, fear, happy, concern, suspicious, sad, and surprised) with the appropriate face?


Cultural rules for displaying emotionDisplay rule

Cultural rules that dictate how emotions should be expressed and when and where their expression is appropriate

Often, a society’s display rules require people to give evidence of certain emotions that they may not actually feel or to disguise their true feelingsCole

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Cultural rules for displaying emotionDavis

Not only can emotions be displayed but not felt, they can also be felt but not displayedMost of us learn display rules very early and abide by them most of the time

Cultures Factors US vs. Japan

US Japan

Environ. Wide open continent Small Island

History Settled by rebels, 1000 yrs, little immigration

people willing to break ties

Values Distrust authority Respect authority

Independence Collectiveness

“I” self “We” self

Innovation Tradition

Emotions, US vs. Japan

Amae: Japanese positive emotion

Comfort in another’s complete acceptance

No US equivalent

Anger: Japan – OK between groups, not within group

US – OK to show anger to close others

Communication between parent and child:

•Child sings a song

stranger vs. parent responses, Japan vs. US

Emotional Socialization US and Japan: Saying “NO”

US Japan

I don’t think this will work

No, we cannot do that

Are you out of your %$##%

mind???

That is interestingWe would like to think about thatWe may have a problem

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Ortony & Turner (1990)Emotion from Another Perspective

Cognitive Theory – emotions are cognition dependent.

Activating appraisalsSubsequent desiresIntentionsI think, therefore I can feel.

Subject to cultural influences.Researchers “cannot find basic emotions” because “we do not have, and probably cannot have, a satisfactory criterion of basicness”. (?)

Lazarus & Folkman (1984)

Appraisal Model of Emotion

LazarusDog Appraisal of threat fear body response

Appraisal Model of EmotionWe have the feeling of an emotion when we encounter a particular event in the environment and appraise that event as being beneficial, harmful or threatening, which leads to ANS activation, secondary appraisal, and then emotion

Fear

“Scary dog”“Can I befriend

him?”

NO!

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Emotions Per Oatley & JenkinsGoal Relevance: I’m looking for parking space and:

Space suddenly opens, I feel: Euphorically, insanely happy

Someone steals space, I feel: Bloodthirsty rage

Readiness to act: I’m from the South, and space stealer sneers and and says “Sorry, Slick”. My body reacts by:

Fight mode, testosterone, cortisol, HR, etc.

Distinct mental states: Not only is my body aroused, I am aware of and can label my emotions.

EVENT Goal Relevant? Yes No

Emotion No Emotion

Goal Congruent?Positive Emotion Negative Emotion

Ego

Involvement?Not Relevant Damages self esteem

Happiness Anger

Boosts self-esteem Threat to self

Pride Fear/Anxiety

Mutual Affection loss to self

Love Sadness

Yes No

Attribution theory of emotionsA cognitive theory of emotion as having two phases:

Primary appraisal:Following action outcome and immediate +ve(happy) or –ve (unhappy) emotion, irrespective of cause (outcome dependent emotion)

Secondary (cognitive appraisal) (attribution dependent emotion)

Attribution of cause of outcome is combined with primary appraisal to create distinct emotionsCausal dimensions play a key role in differentiating emotions

Cognition-Emotion Process

OUTCOME

GENERAL POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE REACTION

CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS AND DIMENSIONS

DISTINCT EMOTIONS

OUTCOMEEVALUATION

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Dimension and Emotions

StableBadHopeless

Intentional controllable

GoodGratitude

Internal uncontrollable

BadShame

Internal controllableBadGuilt

Uncontrollable external

BadPity

External; controllableBadAnger

Locus-internalGoodPride

DimensionOutcomeEmotion

Emotion Theory Cheatsheet

Details in class

WHAT EMOTIONS CAN DO Human Motivation and...

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