PSY 324 EXAM 2

3 social units

individual, dyad, group

individual

-dynamic with self

-regulate own attention/behavior for survival and personal goals

dyad

-2 people 

-coordinates relationships through empathy

group

share goals, views, perspectives and communicate threats to each other

How do we know that emotions are functional?

-emotions guide perception/attention/decision making/social interaction

-emotions have evolved for humanities survival, also helping us to connect/adapt/socialize

emotional intelligence

-empathy/ability to understand ones emotions and others!

What does emotional intelligence help us do?

navigate relationships, how to “read a room“ and react appropriately

Emotions/emotional expressions are _______transmitted!

socially

broaden and build hypothesis

what does the cognitive theory of emotion explain?

-why people react differently to the same event

The cognitive theory of emotion believes that ______!

-emotions are depend on appraisals and interactions

evolutionary perspective

Emotions are adaptations/serve a critical function for our (individual and species) survival.

-influencing immediate reactions and long-term decisionmaking

Primary and secondary appraisal are tied together to ____.

cognitive theory of emotion

function of love

-strengthens long term bonds, care giving bonds

how does love tie into the cognitive theory of emotion?

-love=cognitive appraisal of safety, attraction, value in partner, so it supports the survival theory as it keeps partners and care givers committed!

primary appraisal

unconscious, immediate, automatic

-SURVIVAL FUNCTION

example of primary appraisal

loud bang>get startled (sweaty palms, heart rate increases, flinch)

secondary appraisal

-CONSCIOUS, COGNITIVE, THOUGHTFUL EVALUATION, INFLUENCES ACTIONS TAKEN

example of secondary appraisal

loud sound>panic>THINK AND RATIONALIZE (oh a water bottle just fell)

evolutionary function of sadness

allowing us to cope with losses such as losing resources, status, friends, children or romantic partners

evolutionary function of happiness

to motivate behaviors that promote survival and reproduction, acting as a reward for adaptive actions

evolutionary function of anger

prompting individuals to confront threats and defend themselves, resources, and loved ones (fight response)

evolutionary function of disgust

encourages avoidance of potential threats

evolutionary function of fear

-survival/self preservation

evolutionary function of surprise

encourages avoidance of potential threats

it is important to note that ___ emotions are ____ for _____!

ALL, NECESSARY, PSYCHOLOGICAL BALANCE

VISUAL CLIFF AND BABIES

babies cannot see/perceive how far down a fall/drop is

-look for guidance/parents gesture saying that its ok to go through

-baby crosses (YAY)

-Demonstrates social referencing

6 Universal facial expressions

Surprise, fear, anger, happy, disgust, sad

Duchenne smile

genuine,

Smiling encourages ____.

• trust and cooperation

  • Regulate social tension

Non-Duchenne

Social; polite or strategic smile

Power poses

Body postures can influence confidence and perceived power

exmaple of power poses

Open, expansive poses > increased self-assurance

power poses are linked to ___.

embodied emotion theory

Non-facial expressions of emotion

body language, voice (tone, speed, volume)

what makes us happy (percentages)

• Genetics 50%, 10% external circumstances, 40% action and thoughts

• Money: happiness starts to plateau after $75,000 + basic needs met

Focalism

• Focus is too narrow on one event

• Can sway beliefs to focus on one aspect of life and ignore others

• hyperfixate

• “we broke up my life is over“

Impact bias

• Overestimation of how much and how long future emotional reactions will last

• Things are way worse than they are or will last forever

• Happens b/c we fail to consider hedonic adaptation and focalism

Hedonic adaptation

• Adapt to feelings and seek new goals

• Return to baseline level of happiness following positive or negative events

Evolutionary function of jealousy

comes from the need to protect loved ones

• Relationship threatened by rival

• Involves 3 people

• Motivates relationship protection

  • Build it/tend to it

males and jealousy

• motivated to invest in offspring

• unsure if child is in fact theirs b/c they do not carry it

• reproduction

• triggered by sexual infidelity, as paternity uncertainty threatens reproductive success

females and jealousy

• Motivated by resources; knows child is own

• Associated with sexual promiscuity and emotional attachment

• Emotional attachment generates a lot of jealousy

• triggered more by emotional infidelity since emotional distraction endangers resources and commitment

Theory of mind

the ability to understand that others have their own thoughts, feelings, and intentions that may differ from your own.

-important for interpreting social interactions and predicting others' behaviors.

envy

motivates self-improvement and the acquisition of new skills

• Focused on others’ advantages

  • Person A has something attainable, but Person B doesn’t have and wants it

Envy needs how many people?

TWO

SHAME

• Negative evaluation of the entire self

• “I am bad”, I can’t change

• Motivates to do better

• withdrawal or hiding to avoid further humiliation or rejection

• Averted gaze, head lowered, slumped posture, quiet voice

• Collectivistic, valued in cultures where social harmony is important

• When I fail an exam and feel worthless

Guilt

• Make look smaller or withdrawn,

• Negative emotion focused on a specific behavior that violated moral or social standards

• “I did something bad”

• Motivates reparative action; apologizing, helping

• Maintains trust and group harmony by promoting accountability

• Focuses on the act not the self

• If you lie to a friend, guilt motivates you to confess.

• I can make up for it

Affective forecasting

The process in which we generate predictions about the emotional effects of our future

(HUMANS ARE AWFUL AT THIS)

Theory of mind

• The ability to recognize that other people have thoughts, beliefs and perspectives separate from your own

• Allows you to anticipate how others will evaluate you

  • Essential for guilt, shame, and embarrassment

  • You feel embarrassed when you imagine others’ judgments of your clumsy behavior-even if no one comments.

hubris

-Attributes your accomplishment to who you are as a person(similar to shame)

• Feel great but not yet accomplished

• Overconfident in ability (can lead to failure)

• Assumption based

pride

• Communicates success and higher status

• Appraisal based on specific achievement that meets internal or social standards

• Motivates future achievement, reinforces self-esteem, competence

  • Outward and expansive expression

Context of emotion expression

• Context changes how an expression is perceived and interpreted

  • Smile at funeral vs party conveys different meanings

  • Cultural display rules also shape when and how emotions are shown

·  Embodied simulation

o   Understanding emotions by simulating them in our own body and brain

§  Mirror neuron system

o   Seeing someone smile activates neural pathways similar to smiling to yourself

o   Links to empathy and emotional understanding

Facial mimicry

• Automatic imitation of another person’s facial expression

• Promotes empathy, emotional contagion and social bonding

• Smiling back when someone smiles at you

botox

-reduces the ability to contract facial muscles > less facial feedback

-feel emotions less intensely or have reduced emotional recognition in others

embarrassment

• social mistake, harm to self, need to fix image

•  evaluation-fear of being negatively judged

• Acknowledgement of social error and desire for forgiveness

• Evolutionary: embarrassment shows others we are non-threatening, promoting social repair

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

• The act of forming a facial expression can influence the emotion you feel

• Holding a pen between your teeth can make things seem funnier

• Suggests bidirectional connection between expression and emotional experience

• Basis for therapies involving embodied emotion regulation

Broaden and Build Hypothesis (Fredrickson, 1998)

• Positive emotions (joy, love, pride, etc.) broaden our awareness and thinking

• Over time, this helps us build lasting resources

• Feeling pride after success>motivates trying harder>builds confidence and skill

• cultivating happiness leads to better coping, relationships, and health outcomes.