Emotion Part One

What is the focus of embodied emotion research?

Neurophysiological perspectives on emotion.

Which two historical theories first explained emotion?

James-Lange Theory and Cannon-Bard Theory.

What did William James propose about emotion?

Bodily changes occur first

What is the common-sense view of emotion?

We see a bear → feel fear → run.

How does James’ view differ from common sense?

We see a bear → run → feel fear because we tremble.

What does the James-Lange theory imply about the brain?

No single “emotion center”; emotions arise from bodily feedback processed in somatosensory areas.

What did Walter Cannon argue against James?

Removing sympathetic system didn’t eliminate emotion; thalamus critical for emotion.

According to Cannon-Bard

what causes emotion?

What role does the ANS play in modern emotion theory?

Distinct autonomic patterns for emotions

What did Nummenmaa et al. (2014) find about body maps?

Different emotions produce distinct body activation/deactivation patterns (e.g.

What is Pure Autonomic Failure and its effect?

Inability to change bodily state; blunts emotional intensity

What is the facial feedback hypothesis?

Facial expressions influence emotional experience.

Evidence for facial feedback hypothesis?

Botox reduces emotional intensity; brow-furrowing increases sadness.

How is the somatosensory cortex linked to emotion?

Damage (right hemisphere) impairs recognition of all emotions (Adolphs et al.

What brain area is critical for disgust?

Insula (active when experiencing or observing disgust).

What does distributed brain activation suggest about emotions?

Emotions involve multiple brain areas

Who proposed the Somatic Marker Hypothesis?

Antonio Damasio.

What does SMH state?

Bodily feedback signals (somatic markers) guide reasoning and decision-making.

What brain areas receive autonomic feedback?

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)

What evidence inspired SMH?

VMPFC-damaged patients had poor real-life decisions despite normal IQ.

What is the Iowa Gambling Task used for?

To test decision-making and autonomic feedback.

What are the four phases of the Iowa Gambling Task?

Baseline

How do normal participants perform on the task?

Show anticipatory SCR before conscious awareness; shift to safe decks.

How do VMPFC patients perform?

Never develop hunches

What does SMH say about decision-making?

Good decisions rely on unconscious bodily signals before conscious reasoning.

How does vagus nerve stimulation support SMH?

Improves decision-making; activates brain regions like PFC.

How do emotions affect ethical decisions?

Personal dilemmas evoke strong emotional responses

Which brain areas activate in personal moral dilemmas?

Medial frontal gyrus

What happens in VMPFC-damaged patients for moral decisions?

More utilitarian responses in personal dilemmas (push person on footbridge).

Where is the amygdala located?

Medial temporal lobe.

Name main amygdala nuclei.

Corticomedial

What is the amygdala’s role in fear?

Coordinates behavioral