Understanding Emotions: Theories and Physiology

Flashcards designed to aid in the understanding of the theories and physiological responses related to emotions.

Emotion

A subjective experience accompanied by biological and behavioral changes.

James–Lange Theory

A theory stating that physiological reactions lead to the labeling of an emotion.

Cannon–Bard Theory

A theory suggesting that physiological reaction and emotion occur simultaneously.

Schachter Singer Cognitive Arousal Theory

This theory posits that physical arousal and environmental cues must occur together before an emotion is experienced.

Lazarus’s Cognitive-Mediational Theory

A theory stating that a stimulus must be interpreted (appraised) before it leads to a physical response and emotional reaction.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

The hypothesis that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that responds to emotions by increasing heart rate and dilating pupils.

Display Rules

Learned ways of controlling displays of emotion in social settings.

Universal Emotions

Emotions that are recognized and expressed across all human cultures, such as happiness, sadness, fear, and anger.

Conscious Label of Emotion

The cognitive element that involves identifying emotions based on past experiences.

Left vs Right Lobe

Left Lobe- Positive Emotion, high activity associated with lower anxiety, and better immune systems Right lobe- Negative emotions, used to identify facial expressions of other people (this skill improves with age)

Low vs High Road

• Low Road – our amygdala know of something before we do? Fast.
  

• High Road – messages are processed by the prefrontal cortex and can override the initial emotional response. Slow.

Emotion is made off…

Physiological (arrosual), Cognitive (Appraisal vs Labelling), Behavior (display vs expression)

Cognitive (Appraisal vs Labelling)

Primary Appraisial- Harmful? Secondary Appraisal- How to cope? Labelling- I feel X

Behavior (display vs expression)

Display is not universal, but expression is