Physiological Theories of Emotion

1. Physiological Theories of Emotion Biological Perspective

2. James-Lange Theory of Emotion • States that people experience physiological changes and then interpret them as emotions. • Ie: people do not experience emotion until after their body experiences physiological changes.

3. Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion • States that two areas of the brain are stimulated at the same time. • Stimulation of the cerebral cortex produces emotional experience, while stimulation of the thalamus produces changes in the sympathetic nervous system. • Ie: emotional experiences accompany physiological changes rather than follow them.

4. Schachter & Singer (1962) • Two-Factor Thery of Emotion: • We experience a physiological arousal (feeling) and we then decide what it means depending on what we’re doing or what is happening around us at that time. • Event->Arousal->Reasoning->Emotion

5. Schachter & Singer Study (1962) • Gave 1 group a mild stimulant & another group a placebo • They were then given a questionnaire that contained very personal questions • A “stooge” in the room got angry at the questionnaire • Those with the mild stimulant got angry too • Those with the placebo didn’t get that angry

6. Dutton and Aron (1974) • Had an attractive woman ask for interviews from young men on a swinging bridge 200 ft. above a river • They also had her ask for interviews from men on firm ground (terra firma) • Halfway through the interview, she gave them her phone # • 60% of the men from the swinging bridge called her • 30% of the men from firm ground called her • They concluded that the men on the bridge interpreted their arousal from fear on the bridge as attraction to the woman