Emotions-Unit 3

The value of emotions:

• Our emotions help guide us in how to respond to situations

• They help us convey our intentions to others

Emotion is a 4 part process:

1. Physiological arousal

2. Cognitive interpretation

3. Subjective feelings

4. Behavioral expression

The evolution of emotions:

• Emotions have survival value and have been shaped by natural selection

• Individuals vary tremendously in emotional responsiveness

• Darwin speculated that before we had language, our ancestors used non-verbal facial expressions

• Emotional expression varies, even if the emotion is universal (ex: some people cry and others do not)

• Emotions are not entirely programmed by genetics

The way emotions are expressed varies across cultures!

Neuroscience of emotion-

Biological mechanisms of emotion include:

• The Limbic System

• the cerebral cortex

• The autonomic nervous system

• Hormones

Two brain pathways associated with emotional response:

1. Unconscious Pathway:

• quick response to cues before really processing what it is

• Brain circuitry that operates automatically

• Acts as an early warning sign

• Quick to learn, slow to forget

Steps in the brain of unconscious pathway:

Emotional stimulus is taken in, goes to the thalamus, thalamus sends to amygdala, amygdala triggers an emotional response

1. Conscious pathway:

• Conscious emotional processing

• Slower to generate emotions

• Relies on cerebral cortex

• Allows for anticipatory emotions (example when you think of an exam coming up you can get anxious, or a party coming up you get excited ahead of time)

Steps in the brain of conscious pathway:

Emotional stimulus is taken in, goes to thalamus, thalamus sends it to cortex, cortex sends to amygdala, amygdala triggers the appropriate emotional response

Psychological theories of emotion:

James-Lang Theory of Emotion:

• Stimulus, physiological arousal, emotion

• Example: I see a spider, I experience physiological arousal, I am afraid

Cannon-Bard Theory:

• Emotional feeling and physiological response happen at the same time

• Neither cause the other

• Both result from cognitive appraisal of the situation

• Example: see spider, Fear and physiological arousal (sweating, trembling, heart rate) happen at the same time

Two-Factor Theory:

• Emotion results from the cognitive appraisal of both: physical arousal and emotion provoking stimulus

• How do I feel about the physiological arousal and what do I think about the thing that is causing it

• See spider and then at same time you experience physiological arousal and cognitive appraisal (its scary), then you experience fear

Stress: A heightened state of physiological arousal

• Can impact health and wellbeing by "hijacking" normal physiological processes

  • Fight or flight

Acute stress response: slow digestion and immune system, focuses energy on certain situations

• An adaptive response to stress returns the body to homeostasis

• Stress is normal in balance

• Stress turns bad when we do not return to homeostasis in timely manner

Stressor (the stimulus)

• Events/factors that induce stress

• Require an adaptive response (coping)

Stress (a state of arousal)

• Fight or flight

• Acute emotions

Strain (the response)

• Maladaptive reactions to stress

• Psychological (depressions or burnout)

• Physical (health, fatigue)

• Behavioral (substance abuse, aggression)

4 kinds of stressors:

1. Acute time limited stressors: make you stressed but they go away in a short period of time and when they are done, they are done

(example: there is a wreck on the highway so you are stuck in traffic, once you get through it though you are fine)

1. Stressor sequences: Eventually the stress ends but it does last longer

(example: dealing with a court case or planning an event for a long period of time)

1. Chronic, intermittent stressor: It comes and goes constantly

(example: one class you do not like that happens every other day, exams in college)

1. Chronic stressors: always there with not clear end

(example: a chronic illness, a shitty boss)

Physiological roots of stress:

Hans Selye (1956) examined effect of prolonged stress

• Observed peoples stress response over time

• He looked at hormone levels, cardio-vascular stuff, etc.

• Stress can be adaptive, but detrimental if it goes on too long

General adaptation syndrome (Selye):

Eustress: Stress arousal is adaptive in short term, meaning it helps you

-Example: stress that helps you get through an exam, or get away from danger

Distress: Damaging in the long term

-Example: exhaustion and depletion

The Arousal-Performance Relationship:

• People usually perform best when they have a bit of stress to give them a little physiological activation

• Too much stress though, will cause you to shut down

Sensation seekers: Individuals who have a biological need for higher levels of stimulation

• Operate best at higher levels of arousal

Task difficulty:

• If something is really easy, you need more stress to do better on it

• If something is super heard, you want less stress in order to focus and perform well