PSYC 100B - Midterm #2

UVIC

Two-factor theory (Singer-Schachter)

emotions are a result of both physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation

example: walking alone at night, someone approaches you + feel heart racing and trembling = interpret this as fear

James Lange theory

event occurs —> body reacts physically —> brain interprets physiological changes —> emotion occurs

Cannon-Bard Theory

emotion inducing stimulus = physiological response + feeling of emotion (at the same time)

6 Universal Facial Expressions

1. Happiness

2. Sadness

3. Anger

4. Fear

5. Disgust

6. Suprise

Display Rules

cultural norms that dictate how, when, and where emotions should be expressed or suppressed

example: in Japan its common to hide neg emotions in public and maintain neutral expression, in the USA its the norm to be more expressive

Facial Feedback Effect

the concept that you facial expressions can influence emotional experiences

example: force yourself to smile(when you dont feel happy) you are likely to start feeling happier because your brain receives feedback from muscles involved in smiling

Behaviour Feedback Effect

Doing body movements associated with a specific emotion makes you more likely to feel that emotion to some degree

Microexpressions

brief, involuntary facial expressions that reveal true emotions

Spillover Effect

when stress and behaviours from one situation “spills over” and impacts another

Appraisal

The way we evaluate or interpret a situation which determines how stressful it feels to us

example: two people have the same math test, one sees it as a challenge and feels motivated(positive appraisal), and the other sees it as a threat and feels anxious(negative appraisal)

Feel-Good Do-Good Phenomenon

Tendency for people to be more helpful or prosocial when they are in a good mood

example: someone who just got a promotion are more likely to hold the door open for a stranger or donate to a charity

Prosocial Behaviours

Actions that are intended to help or benefit others

example: volunteering at a shelter, donating money, comforting a friend in distress, or helping a stranger carry groceries

Social Exchange Theory

theory that explains social behaviour as a process of cost-benefit analysis; we help people when rewards outweight the costs

example: you help a friend move because you think they’ll help you later when you need a favor or because it makes you feel good —> both are “rewards” that outweigh the “cost” of your time or effort

Relative Deprivation

perception that we are worse off relative to those who we compare ourselves too

General Adaption Syndrome

body’s adaptive responses to stress: alarm, resistance, exhaustion

Tend + Befriend Syndrome

when under stress, we provide support to others / bond / seek support from others

Cope

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioural methods

Problem Focused coping

attempt to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor

Emotion Focused Coping

alleviating stress by avoiding/ignoring stressor and fulfilling emotional needs

Learned Helplessness

hopeless/passive resignation animals learn when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

External Locus of Control

Perception that outside forces of our control determine our fate

Internal Locus of Control

perception that we control our own fate

Self-Control

Ability to control impulses / delay for a short term gratification

Attribution Theory

someones behaviour can be explained by the situation of person’s disposition

Fundamental Attribution Error

tendency when analyzing behaviour to underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of personal disposition on emotion/behaviour

Attitudes

Feelings influenced by our beliefs that cause us to respond in a certain way

Foot in the Door phenomenon

ask for something small —> say yes —> go for a bigger ask —> more likely to say yes bc they already said yes

Door in the Face Phenomenon

Ask for something outrageous and big —> they say no —> ask for something small —> more likely to say yes bc they feel guilty for having already said no

Peripheral Route Theory

when people are influenced by incidental cues(attractiveness)

Central Route Persuasion

Social Norms

Modeling

Bystander Innervention

Attraction - Proximity

Attraction - Physical

Attraction - Similarity

Free Association

Slip of the Tongue