4 Appraisals
Page 1: Activation & Appraisals
Introduction to the concepts of activation and appraisals in the context of emotions.
Page 2: Emotions as Appraisals
Stimulus: Initial triggers that evoke emotional responses.
Emotion: The subjective experience that follows the stimulus.
Response: The behavioral or physiological reaction to the emotion.
Evaluation Context: Stimuli are evaluated in the context of individual circumstances and personal significance.
Goal Relevance: Assessment based on how the stimulus relates to personal goals.
Valence: The intrinsic attractiveness (positive valence) or aversiveness (negative valence) of the stimulus.
Page 3: Primary Appraisals
Initial Evaluations: First impressions regarding the significance of the stimulus.
Goal Relevance: Determining if the stimulus affects personal goals.
Goal Congruence: Assessing whether the stimulus aligns with one’s desires and objectives.
Ego-Involvement: Consideration of how the stimulus impacts self-identity and self-esteem.
Page 4: Primary Appraisals (Continued)
Amygdala: Key brain region involved in processing emotional responses and appraisals.
Valence: Determines the nature of the emotional response.
Approach-Avoid Responses: Decisions made based on whether to approach or avoid the stimulus.
Conscious Awareness: Question of whether appraisal processes can occur without conscious thought.
Page 5: Subliminal Stimuli
Study Reference: Murphy & Zajonc (1993) examined how subliminal stimuli affect preference.
Method: Participants rated their liking of Chinese ideographs shown subliminally or supraliminally after positive or negative images.
Results:
Subliminal:
After positive images: 3.46
After negative images: 2.7
Supraliminal:
After positive images: 3.02
After negative images: 3.28
Page 6: Subliminal Priming Effect
Valence Transfer: Emotional valence from subliminal stimuli influences reactions to neutral stimuli, resulting in changes in evaluations or preferences.
Page 7: Discrete Approach to Emotions
The event triggers emotions classified into discrete categories:
No Emotion
Emotion: Distinction made within positive and negative emotions:
Positive Emotions: e.g., happiness, pride, love
Negative Emotions: e.g., anger, fear, sadness
Key Evaluation Factors: Goal relevance, goal congruence, and ego involvement influence emotional responses.
Page 8: Secondary Appraisals
Causal Attributions: Understanding what caused the emotional experience.
Possible Responses: Evaluating available options for reacting to the emotion.
Consequences of Responses: Anticipating results of different emotional reactions.
Page 9: Core Relational Themes
Identification of prototypical problems leading to specific emotions:
Fear: Experienced in response to danger or threat.
Sadness: Triggered by feelings of loss.
Anger: Resulting from being blocked from achieving goals.
Pride: Felt when successfully accomplishing goals.
Page 10: Dimensional Approach
Emotional stimuli are evaluated based on various themes and dimensions:
Common Appraisal Dimensions:
Expectedness: How anticipated an event is.
Certainty: Confidence in outcomes relating to the stimulus.
Pleasantness: Degree of positive or negative feelings.
Perceived Obstacle: Assessing barriers presented by the stimulus.
Responsibility: Attribution of blame or credit to self or others.
Anticipated Effort: Consideration of effort required for response.
Fairness: Evaluation of justness associated with the situation.
Activation & Appraisals
Introduction: The concepts of activation and appraisals are essential in understanding emotions, as they lay the groundwork for how individuals interpret and react to stimuli in their environment.
Emotions as Appraisals
Stimulus: These are initial triggers, like external events or internal thoughts, that evoke emotional responses. Emotion: The subjective experience that follows the stimulus, shaped by individual perceptions and contexts. Response: This includes both behavioral or physiological reactions such as facial expressions, posture, or heart rate changes that follow emotional experiences. Evaluation Context: This involves considering stimuli in light of an individual’s unique circumstances and the personal significance attached to them, meaning that two people may react differently to the same stimulus based on their backgrounds and experiences. Goal Relevance: Assessment based on how the stimulus relates to personal goals; for instance, a setback in work may evoke frustration if linked to one’s career ambitions. Valence: The nature of the stimulus can be characterized as intrinsically attractive (positive valence) or aversive (negative valence), influencing how a person feels about it.
Primary Appraisals
Initial Evaluations: These are the first impressions formed regarding the significance of a stimulus; this gut reaction can be quickly determined based on experiences and beliefs. Goal Relevance: This determines whether the stimulus affects personal goals. For example, an unexpected job offer may be highly relevant and positive for someone currently searching for employment. Goal Congruence: Assessing whether the stimulus aligns with personal desires; if the job offer comes with terms that conflict with one’s values, it may lead to ambivalence. Ego-Involvement: The extent to which the stimulus impacts self-identity and self-esteem, where praise may enhance self-worth, while criticism could damage it.
Primary Appraisals (Continued)
Amygdala: A key brain region involved in processing emotional responses and appraisals. It plays a crucial role in fear detection and the formation of emotional memories. Valence: Affects the nature of emotional responses, with positive stimuli leading to approach behaviors and negative stimuli prompting avoidance. Approach-Avoid Responses: Decisions made based on whether to approach or avoid the stimulus can dictate future behavior and interactions. Conscious Awareness: Questions arise regarding whether these appraisal processes can occur without conscious thought; studies suggest that many reactions may be instinctual and not necessitate deliberate consideration.
Subliminal Stimuli
Study Reference: Murphy & Zajonc (1993) explored how subliminal stimuli affect preferences, revealing the nuances of unconscious influences on decision-making. Method: Participants rated their liking of Chinese ideographs shown either subliminally (below conscious perception) or supraliminally (above thresholds of conscious awareness) after exposure to either positive or negative images, illustrating how prior emotional states can affect preferences unexpectedly. Results: The findings demonstrated differing ratings based on the type of exposure:
Subliminal after positive images: 3.46
Subliminal after negative images: 2.7
Supraliminal after positive images: 3.02
Supraliminal after negative images: 3.28This suggests subliminal content has a powerful and measurable effect even when not consciously recognized.
Subliminal Priming Effect
Valence Transfer: Emotional valence from subliminal stimuli can influence reactions to neutral stimuli, leading to changes in evaluations or preferences, emphasizing the complexity of subconscious influences on behavior and decisions.
Discrete Approach to Emotions
The event triggers emotions that can be classified into discrete categories: No Emotion: A state of neutrality where the stimulus does not provoke a significant response.Emotion: Distinctions are made within positive and negative emotions:
Positive Emotions: e.g., happiness, pride, love - linked to fulfilling needs or achieving desires.
Negative Emotions: e.g., anger, fear, sadness - associated with threats or disappointments.Key Evaluation Factors: Goal relevance, goal congruence, and ego involvement are critical in influencing emotional responses and guiding future actions.
Secondary Appraisals
Causal Attributions: Understanding what caused the emotional experience helps individuals make sense of their feelings, whether attributing outcomes to personal actions or external events. Possible Responses: Evaluating available options for reacting to the emotion creates space for constructive coping or maladaptive behaviors. Consequences of Responses: Anticipating results of different emotional reactions, such as whether responding with anger will escalate a situation or if expressing sadness will lead to support from others.
Core Relational Themes
Identification of prototypical problems leading to specific emotions:
Fear: Experienced in response to danger or threat, often motivating avoidance.
Sadness: Triggered by feelings of loss, which may encourage introspection or seeking support.
Anger: Resulting from being blocked from achieving goals, often leading to confrontation.
Pride: Felt when successfully accomplishing goals, reinforcing self-esteem and motivation moving forward.
Dimensional Approach
Emotional stimuli are evaluated based on various themes and dimensions: Common Appraisal Dimensions:
Expectedness: How anticipated an event is—unexpected events may invoke stronger emotional reactions.
Certainty: Confidence in outcomes relating to the stimulus that can stabilize or disrupt emotional states.
Pleasantness: Degree of positive or negative feelings associated with an event can dictate approach or avoidance behaviors.
Perceived Obstacle: Assessing barriers presented by the stimulus informs decision-making and emotional responses.
Responsibility: Attribution of blame or credit to oneself or others shapes emotional experiences and personal accountability.
Anticipated Effort: Consideration of effort required for response and action, influencing how individuals prepare emotionally.
Fairness: Evaluation of justness associated with the situation, where perceptions of fairness can affect emotional wellbeing and relationships.