Myers EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY

2. Emotion Emotion: A response of the whole organism, involving... Physiological arousal Expressive behaviors Conscious experience Complex pattern of changes made in response to a situation perceived to be personally significant.

3. Emotion Three basic components to emotions Cognitive Thoughts, beliefs and expectations. Determines the type and intensity of the emotion we experience. Physiological Internal changes in arousal level. Increases in heart rate, BP, pupils dilate, respiration increases. Behavioral Outward signs of emotions. Facial expressions, body posture, gestures, tone of voice.

4. Emotion Does your heart pound because you are afraid...or are you afraid because you feel your heart pounding?

5. The James-Lange Theory Experience of emotion is awareness of physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli -We feel fear because our heart is pounding. -We feel sad because we are crying. -We feel happy because we smile. -American physiologist Walter Cannon thought that the body’s responses were not distinct enough, does a pounding heart signal anger, fear, or love?-We feel fear because our heart is pounding. -We feel sad because we are crying. -We feel happy because we smile. -American physiologist Walter Cannon thought that the body’s responses were not distinct enough, does a pounding heart signal anger, fear, or love?

6. The Cannon-Bard Theory Emotion-arousing stimuli simultaneously trigger: physiological responses subjective experience of emotion -The emotion-triggering stimulus is routed simultaneously to the brain’s cortex, causing the subjective awareness of emotion, and to the sympathetic nervous system, causing the body’s arousal.-The emotion-triggering stimulus is routed simultaneously to the brain’s cortex, causing the subjective awareness of emotion, and to the sympathetic nervous system, causing the body’s arousal.

7. James-Lange vs. Cannon-Bard Evidence supporting James-Lange The arousal associated with different emotions is distinctly, though subtly, different. Soldiers that are paralyzed below neck report that emotions don’t have the same intensity that they used to. Merely smiling leads to greater reported happiness. Evidence supporting Cannon-Bard There is more to our emotion than merely reading physiology, there is some cognition. -Though the evidence seems to support James-Lange, researchers seem to agree that our experience of emotion is much richer than merely reading our physiology. There is some cognition in the form of perceptions, memories, and interpretations.-Though the evidence seems to support James-Lange, researchers seem to agree that our experience of emotion is much richer than merely reading our physiology. There is some cognition in the form of perceptions, memories, and interpretations.

8. Cognition and EmotionSchacter’s Two-Factor Theory To experience emotion one must: Be physically aroused Cognitively label the arousal -In order for us to experience emotion, we must consciously interpret our arousal. -Sometimes our arousal from one event spills over into the next event. -During soccer matches, massive riots happen, why. -Studies: -1. Injected with epinephrine which creates physiological arousal. -Half told it was epinephrine, expect arousal. Half told nothing will happen. -Go to a waiting room where an accomplice is acting euphoric or irritated. -If the people were told to expect nothing from the injection, then they began to feel and act euphoric or irritated. -If told the injection would cause arousal, they had no change in their emotions. -2. Arouse people by pedaling a stationary bike, then insult them, they will act much more provoked.-In order for us to experience emotion, we must consciously interpret our arousal. -Sometimes our arousal from one event spills over into the next event. -During soccer matches, massive riots happen, why. -Studies: -1. Injected with epinephrine which creates physiological arousal. -Half told it was epinephrine, expect arousal. Half told nothing will happen. -Go to a waiting room where an accomplice is acting euphoric or irritated. -If the people were told to expect nothing from the injection, then they began to feel and act euphoric or irritated. -If told the injection would cause arousal, they had no change in their emotions. -2. Arouse people by pedaling a stationary bike, then insult them, they will act much more provoked.

13. Cognition and EmotionMust Cognition Precede Emotion Not always says Robert Zajonc Argues that our emotional reaction can be faster than our interpretation of the situation. We prefer subliminally flashed stimuli. Some emotions require no deliberate thinking. Simple likes and dislikes, fears perhaps More complex emotions may well require conscious awareness.

14. Cognition and EmotionMust Cognition Precede Emotion The brain’s shortcut for emotions -When we see the snake, the information appears to come in two different pathways. One travels through the visual cortex, then to the Amygdala. The other somewhat more directly to the amygdala. We may immediately recoil at the sight of the snake, yet know perfectly well it’s a harmless grass snake. -Figure 29.6: The Brain’s Sensitivity to Threats. Even when fearful eyes were flashed too briefly for people to consciously perceive them, fMRI scans revealed that their hypervigilant amygdala was alerted.-When we see the snake, the information appears to come in two different pathways. One travels through the visual cortex, then to the Amygdala. The other somewhat more directly to the amygdala. We may immediately recoil at the sight of the snake, yet know perfectly well it’s a harmless grass snake. -Figure 29.6: The Brain’s Sensitivity to Threats. Even when fearful eyes were flashed too briefly for people to consciously perceive them, fMRI scans revealed that their hypervigilant amygdala was alerted.

15. Cognition and EmotionMust Cognition Precede Emotion -Figure 29.7: Two Routes to Emotion. Zajonc and LeDoux emphasize that some emotional responses are immediate, before any conscious appraisal. Lazarus, Schacter, and Singer emphasized that our appraisal and labeling of events also determine our emotional responses.-Figure 29.7: Two Routes to Emotion. Zajonc and LeDoux emphasize that some emotional responses are immediate, before any conscious appraisal. Lazarus, Schacter, and Singer emphasized that our appraisal and labeling of events also determine our emotional responses.

16. The Physiology of EmotionArousal -Figure 29.2: Emotional Arousal. Emotional arousal involves autonomic nervous system activation. -Emotion physically arouses you through the actions of the Autonomic nervous system. -The sympathetic nervous system gets us going, it readies us for action, the so called fight-or-flight reaction. -When the emotion passes the parasympathetic nervous system calms us back down.-Figure 29.2: Emotional Arousal. Emotional arousal involves autonomic nervous system activation. -Emotion physically arouses you through the actions of the Autonomic nervous system. -The sympathetic nervous system gets us going, it readies us for action, the so called fight-or-flight reaction. -When the emotion passes the parasympathetic nervous system calms us back down.

17. The Physiology of EmotionArousal Performance peaks at lower levels of arousal for difficult tasks, and at higher levels for easy or well-learned tasks. -Figure 29.3: Arousal and Performance. Performance peaks at lower levels of arousal for difficult tasks, and at higher levels for easy or well-learned tasks. Facing a difficult exam, high anxiety may disrupt performance. Teaching anxious students how to relax before an exam can therefore enable them to perform better. -Prolonged arousal is BAD for the body, but arousal can be a good thing, depending on what you want to do. -If you are trying to take an exam and you suffer from test anxiety, your performance will go down. -If you want to do something relatively easy such as walk or talk, you’d be better off to be somewhat more aroused otherwise you’ll mumble or stumble.-Figure 29.3: Arousal and Performance. Performance peaks at lower levels of arousal for difficult tasks, and at higher levels for easy or well-learned tasks. Facing a difficult exam, high anxiety may disrupt performance. Teaching anxious students how to relax before an exam can therefore enable them to perform better. -Prolonged arousal is BAD for the body, but arousal can be a good thing, depending on what you want to do. -If you are trying to take an exam and you suffer from test anxiety, your performance will go down. -If you want to do something relatively easy such as walk or talk, you’d be better off to be somewhat more aroused otherwise you’ll mumble or stumble.

18. The Physiology of EmotionLie Detectors Polygraph: Machine commonly used in attempts to detect lies. Measures several arousal responses that accompany emotion perspiration heart rate blood pressure breathing changes Galvanic skin response (gsr)

19. The Physiology of EmotionLie Detectors -Person a is probably telling the truth, person B is probably lying. -An examiner asks control questions, questions which are designed to increase arousal for everyone. Questions such as have you EVER stolen anything. The answer is of course yes for everyone. The question is designed to create some arousal. -Next, the examiner asks the “relevant” questions, “Are you guilty?” and look at the level of arousal. -The machine can not distinguish between arousal from guilty lying and honest fear. -Rape victims are often labeled as lying due to their arousal while describing the scene. -Likewise, disgust and annoyance will create increased arousal. To “beat the machine” experts say to do something which increases your arousal during control questions (such as biting your tongue), thus making it appear that your arousal levels are generally high, then when you have a high reaction after lying, it will look normal.-Person a is probably telling the truth, person B is probably lying. -An examiner asks control questions, questions which are designed to increase arousal for everyone. Questions such as have you EVER stolen anything. The answer is of course yes for everyone. The question is designed to create some arousal. -Next, the examiner asks the “relevant” questions, “Are you guilty?” and look at the level of arousal. -The machine can not distinguish between arousal from guilty lying and honest fear. -Rape victims are often labeled as lying due to their arousal while describing the scene. -Likewise, disgust and annoyance will create increased arousal. To “beat the machine” experts say to do something which increases your arousal during control questions (such as biting your tongue), thus making it appear that your arousal levels are generally high, then when you have a high reaction after lying, it will look normal.

20. The Physiology of EmotionLie Detectors 50 Innocents 1/3 of innocent declared guilty. 50 Thieves 1/4 of guilty declared innocent (from Kleinmuntz & Szucko, 1984) -Figure 29.4: How Often Do Lie Detectors Lie? Polygraph experts studied the polygraph data of 50 theft suspects who later confessed to being guilty and 50 suspects whose innocence was later established by someone’s confession. Had the polygraph experts been the judges, more than one-third of the innocent would have been declared guilty, and almost one-fourth of the guilty would have been declared innocent.-Figure 29.4: How Often Do Lie Detectors Lie? Polygraph experts studied the polygraph data of 50 theft suspects who later confessed to being guilty and 50 suspects whose innocence was later established by someone’s confession. Had the polygraph experts been the judges, more than one-third of the innocent would have been declared guilty, and almost one-fourth of the guilty would have been declared innocent.