Psychology Unit III- Stress, Psychopathology and Social Psychology

James-Lange Theory

Emotion follows bodily arousal; we feel fear because we notice our racing heart.

Cannon-Bard Theory

Emotion and arousal occur simultaneously but independently; body response → sympathetic nervous system, emotion → cortex.

Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory

Emotion = Arousal + Cognitive Appraisal; the same arousal can produce different emotions depending on interpretation.

Spillover Effect

Lingering arousal from one event can intensify emotions in a subsequent event.

Zajonc/LeDoux Theory

Some emotions occur before conscious interpretation; we can have immediate likes/dislikes without reasoning.

High Road of Emotion

Stimulus → thalamus → cortex → complex emotions (e.g., love, hatred).

Low Road of Emotion

Quick, automatic emotional response that bypasses higher-level thinking.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Activates fight-or-flight; increases heart rate, respiration, blood sugar.

Lymphocytes

White blood cells suppressed by stress, leading to increased susceptibility to infections.

Oxytocin

Stress-moderating hormone released during cuddling/pair-bonding; promotes social bonding and reduces stress.

Cognition in Emotion

How we interpret and appraise events influences the emotion we experience.