Chapter 12: Emotion, Health, Stress

Emotion

A response of the whole organism, involving physiological arousal (how your body responds), expressive behaviors (your actions), conscious experience (your feelings and thoughts); impossible to separate conscious experience of emotion with measurable reaction

James-Lange Theory of Emotion

The theory that our experience of emotion is caused by the awareness of our physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli (stimulus → physiological arousal → emotion)

Facial Feedback (James-Lange)

Physical expressions and facial muscles can influence and amplify emotional experiences (smiling → improve mood); facial expressions are universal, while gestures are culturally specific

Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion

The theory that an emotion-arousing stimuli simultaneously trigger physiological responses and the subjective experience of emotion (stimulus → subcortical activity → physiological arousal + emotion)

Schachter-Singer’s Two Factor Theory of Emotion

The theory that to experience emotion, one must be physically aroused and cognitively label the arousal (stimulus → arousal + cognitive label → emotion)

Dual Pathway Model (Zajonc-LeDoux)

Emotional responses can occur through two separate pathways: a fast/unconscious low road via the amygdala without conscious appraisal (event → emotional response), and a slower/conscious high road involving higher cortical processing

Cognitive Arousal Theory (Lazarus-Schacter-Singer)

Emotional experiences arise from the interpretation of cognitive appraisal (event → appraisal → emotional response)

Spillover Effect

Arousal from one situation can carry over and intensity emotional reactions in subsequent unrelated situations (arousal + linger = emotion)

Epinephrine Test (Schachter-Singer)

Individuals infected with a physiological arousal-inducing substance reported different emotional experiences based on the emotions of others

Opponent-Process Theory of Emotion

When one emotion is experienced, the other is repressed; the emotion-causing stimulus is no longer present, which intensifies the second emotion

Emotional Bypassing

The brain’s shortcut for emotions, where sensory input is sent directly to the amygdala via the thalamus, allowing for a faster emotional response without cognitive processing

Adaptation-Level Phenomenon

Our tendency to judge new stimuli or situations based on past experiences and current circumstances

Relative Deprivation

The perception that one is worse off or disadvantaged in comparison to others, even if one’s absolute level of well-being is objectively adequate

Catharsis

The emotional purification that an individual experiences through expressing strong emotions; release through violent media is correlated with aggression

Catharsis Hypothesis

Release of pent-up aggressive energy (through action or fantasy) relieves aggressive urges and reduces emotional tension short-term, but tends to breed more anger

Feel-Good, Do-Good Phenomenon

The tendency of individuals to be more likely to engage in prosocial behavior when they are in a positive or elevated mood

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

Frustration can lead to aggressive behavior as a way to cope with the emotional discomfort

Passive-Aggression Hypothesis

Individuals may express hostility in an indirect manner rather than through direct confrontation

Hostile-Aggression Hypothesis

Aggressive behavior is driven by a violent desire to cause harm or injury to others

Relation-Aggression Hypothesis

Aggression can be driven by a desire to harm relationships, social bonds, or social status

Instrumental-Aggression Hypothesis

Aggression can be a deliberate means to achieve a specific goal or desired outcome

Izard’s Basic Emotions

10 fundamental emotions that are considered universal across cultures: joy, interest-excitement, surprise, sadness, anger, disgust, contempt, fear, shame, and guilt (any other emotions are a combination of these)

Ekmen’s Basic Emotions

6 basic emotions that are universally expressed through facial expressions: joy, surprise, sadness, anger, disgust, and fear

Tracey and Robins’ Emotional Pride

Adds pride as an emotion, characterized by the positive evaluation of oneself in response to an achievement, a positive events, or the recognition of one’s abilities

Shaver’s Emotional Love

Adds love as an emotion, characterized by deep emotional attachment and affection toward someone

Fear

A basic human emotion, which is adaptive and can be learned from experience and observation; biologically predisposed to certain ones faster

Passionate Love

An intense and overwhelming emotional state characterized by strong feelings of affection, desire, and connection toward another person (usually in the first 6 months of a relationship)

Companionate Love

Deep and lasting emotional bond between individuals characterized by affection, intimacy, commitment, and mutual support

Stress

The process in which we perceive and respond to certain events that we appraise as threatening or challenging (release of hormones draws energy away from immune activity)

Stressor

A stimulus or situation that triggers that body’s stress response, which requires some form of adaptation or response (the appraisal of an event influences the amount of stress experienced and the stress response)

Stress Reaction

The body’s response to a stressor, which involves the release of stress hormones to prepare the individual to cope with the perceived threat

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

A tool designed to measure the stress levels in an individual’s life by measuring LCUs; more LCUs = higher score (those who score higher are likelier to have stress-related diseases)

Life Changing Units (LCUs)

Numerical values assigned to events on the SRRS that represent the amount of stress associated with each life event

Approach-Approach Conflict

A type of conflict that occurs when an individual is faced with two desirable options (must choose between two positive outcomes); decision-making process may involve weighing the pros and cons of each alternative

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

A type of conflict that occurs when an individual is faced with two undesirable options (must choose between two negative outcomes); decision-making process may involve evaluating the lesser of two alternatives

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

A type of conflict that occurs when an individual is faced with a decision that has positive and negative aspects; attracted to positive aspects of the situation, but also repelled by its negative aspects

Seyle’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

A three-stage model that describes the body’s response to a stressful event; alarm (sympathetic NS), resistance (body fights the challenge), exhaustion (body’s resources deplete and is prone to illness)

Coping

Alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods

Problem-Focused Coping

The approach of dealing with stressors by taking direct actions, such as changing and interacting with the stressor

Emotion-Focused Coping

The approach of dealing with stressors by managing the emotional response and avoiding the stressor itself

Tend and Befriend

Behavior exhibited by individuals in response to a threat, which refers to the protection of offspring (tending) or seeking out social support for mutual defense (befriending)

Stress Reduction

The techniques used to decrease or manage stress, which can include aerobic exercise, mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and effective time management

Aerobic Exercise

Sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness; may also alleviate depression and anxiety

Biofeedback

Technique of gaining greater awareness of many physiological functions of one’s body by using electronics or other instruments to help monitor health (heart rate, breathing, etc)

Type A Personality (Friedman and Rosenman)

A set of behavioral traits characterized by competitiveness, time urgency, impatience, ambition, and overworking; more prone to heart disease than rest of population (69%)

Type B Personality (Friedman and Rosenman)

A set of behavioral traits characterized by a relaxed, laid-back, and easygoing attitude; tend to be more patient, creative, and adaptable (some people fit in neither type)

Macrophage

A type of white blood cell in the immune system that identifies, pursues, and ingests harmful invaders and worn-out cells

Natural Killer (NK) Cells

Immune cells that pursue diseased cells, such as those infected by viruses or cancer

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

An infection that weakens the immune system, spread by the exchange of bodily fluids

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

The advanced stage of HIV infection, which is diagnosed when the immune system is severely compromised, resulting in increased susceptibility to infections and cancers

Carcinogens

Substances that have the potential to cause cancer, such as tobacco smoke, chemicals, radiation, and viruses

Polygraph

A device, commonly used in attempts to detect lies, that measures several of the physiological responses accompanying emotion (such as perspiration and cardiovascular and breathing changes); tends to err one-third of the time

Behavioral Medicine

An interdisciplinary field that integrates behavioral and medical knowledge, and applies that knowledge to health and disease

Health Psychology

A subfield of psychology that provides psychology’s contribution to behavioral medicine; studies how behaviors, emotions, and cognitive processes impact physical health and well-being

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

The clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries

Psychophysiological Illness

Mind-body illness; any stress-related physical illness, such as hypertension and some headaches

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)

An interdisciplinary field that studies how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and resulting health

Lymphocytes

The white blood cells that are part of the body's immune system

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Unproven healthcare treatments intended to serve as alternatives to conventional medicine, which typically are not widely taught in medical schools, used in hospitals or reimbursed by insurance companies (when a therapy is proven safe by research, it then becomes part of accepted medical practice)

Stress Appraisal

The process by which individuals evaluate and interpret the significance of a situation as stressful or not

B-Lymphocytes

A type of white blood cell that forms in the bone marrow and releases antibodies that fight bacterial infections

T-Lymphocytes

A type of white blood cell that forms in the thymus and other lymphatic tissue, and attacks cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that activates the body’s “fight or flight” response during stress (increases heart rate, dilates pupils, redirects blood flow to muscles, and releases stress hormones)

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body after stress (reduces heart rate, constricts pupils, directs blood flow to digestive organs)