Ch 3 Vid 3 Opponent Process Theory

Opponent Process Theory

A theory in psychology that suggests emotional events elicit two different processes: an A process (immediate response) and a B process (slower, counteracting response).

A process

The initial emotional response that is directly elicited by an event; it occurs immediately during exposure to a stimulus.

B process

The secondary response that occurs after the A process; it counteracts the A process and takes time to build up and terminate.

Eliciting event

An event or stimulus that triggers an emotional response or a physiological reaction, such as an electric shock.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations, often related to the strength of the B process.

Sensitization

An increased response to a stimulus following repeated presentations, often associated with the A process.

Physiological events

Biological responses in organisms, such as heart rate changes, that can be influenced by emotional responses.

Conditioning

The process by which behaviors are learned through associations between stimuli, including classical and operant conditioning.