Emotions

Emotion: Meaning, Physiological basis of emotions

Emotions are reactions consisting of physiological reactions, subjective

cognitive states, and expressive behaviors.

Physiological Basis of Emotions

Emotions are regulated by the two parts of the autonomic nervous system.

1. Activation of the sympathetic nervous system → readies the body for vigorous activity,
producing such reactions as increases in heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration.

2. Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system → influences activity related to

restoration of the body’s resources.

Blood is diverted away from large muscles and to the digestive organs, and digestion
itself is facilitated.

Different emotions are related to contrasting patterns of activation in the cerebral

cortex.

damage to the left hemisphere often develop deep depression. [Positive feelings
centred in the left hemisphere]

damage to the right hemisphere show euphoria. [Negative feelings centred in the
right hemisphere]

Detecting Lies
Polygraphs - Lie detectors [devices that record several different physiological reactions at
once]

Lying is more emotionally exciting than telling the truth.

greater arousal while lying than in telling the truth.

Control question technique

NOT CREDIBLE - LOT OF FAULTS

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 Directed lie technique

instructed to lie in response to some control questions so that comparisons can be made
between their truthful and deceitful responses.

innocent persons will show larger reactions when lying than guilty persons, because
lying is a more unusual and upsetting behavior for them.

Theories of Emotions
Theories – James-Lange Theory, Cannon- Bard theory, Cognitive theory

Conan-Bard Theory

Conan-brad theory states that various emotion-provoking events

simultaneously produce subjective reactions labeled as emotions and
physiological arousal.

James-Lange Theory

James-Lange theory states that emotion-provoking events produce

various physiological reactions and that recognition of these is
responsible for subjective emotional experiences.

Recent support;

1. Highly sophisticated equipment indicate that different emotions are associated with
different patterns of physiological activity.

2. Facial-feedback hypothesis.

Facial-feedback hypothesis suggests that facial expressions can

influence as well as reflect emotional states.

Schachter and Singer’s Two-Factor Theory [EX]

Schachter and Singer’s two factor theory states that our subjective
emotional states are determined, at least in part, by the cognitive labels

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 we attach to feelings of arousal; also known as two-factor theory.

We perceive ourselves to be experiencing the emotion that external cues, and our
interpretation of them, suggest that we should be feeling.

Both arousal and the cognitive appraisal.

Opponent-Process Theory
Opponent-process theory states that (a) an emotional reaction is
automatically followed by an opposite rection. (b) repeated exposure to
a stimulus causes the initial reaction to weaken and the opposite
reaction to strengthen.

Law of physics - every action has an equal and an opposite reaction.

Emotions and Cognition

There are important links between emotion and cognition—between the way we feel and the
way we think.

Affect is a person’s current mood.

Affective states are a person’s various moods.

How Affect Influences Cognition?

1. Our affective states influence our perception of an ambiguous stimuli.

Affective state is positive → (Ambiguous stimuli) → Positive perception of the

stimuli

Affective state is negative → (Ambiguous stimuli) → Negative perception of the

stimuli

2. Positive and negative moods exert a strong influence on memory.

Positive mood → Retrieve positive ideas and experiences + Think positively

Negative mood → Retrieve negative ideas and experiences + Think negatively

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 💡 “Happy mood activates a wider range of ideas or associations than being in a
negative moof, and creativity consists, in parts, of combining such associations
into new pattens.”
Esterda, Isen & Toung, 1995; Isen, 2000

How Cognition Influences Affect?

1. Schachter and Singer’s two factor theory.

we don’t know our own feelings or attitudes directly → internal reactions are often
ambiguous → we look at our own behavior or other aspects of the external world for
clues → the emotions or feelings we experience are strongly determined by the
interpretation or cognitive labels we select.

2. Activation of schemas containing a strong affective component.

3. Our thoughts often influence our reactions to emotion-provoking events.

4. The impact of expectancies on our reactions and judgments. [Affective Forecasts]

expectancies can even shape memories of events affecting the recollection frequency
of them to be more (or less) pleasant than they actually were, in line with what we
expected them to be like).

In such cases, expectations— an aspect of our cognition—may be a more

important determinant of our current emotions than reality itself.

External Expression of Emotions

Emotional expression, facial feedback hypothesis, facial-affect programme

Non-verbal cues

Non-verbal cues are outward signs of individuals’ emotional states

shown in their facial expressions, body posture, and other behaviors.

this kind of communication occurs through several different channels simultaneously, such as

facial expressions

body movements and posture

touching

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 Facial Expressions

“the face is the image of the soul.” - Roman orator Cicero

Six different basic emotions are represented clearly, and from an early age, on the human
face: anger, fear, sadness, disgust, happiness, (contempt) and surprise.

💡 Display and situational cues matter

NOT UNIVERSAL

Facial-feedback hypothesis suggests that facial expressions can

influence as well as reflect emotional states.

Facial-affect programme states that activation of a set of nerve

impulses that make the face display the appropriate expression.

Body Language
Posture, position, and movement of our body = Body Language → provide several kinds of
information about others’ emotions.

More specific information about others’ feelings are often provided by gestures.

Gestures are movements of various body parts that convey a specific

meaning to others.

Touching
Depending on various factors, touch can suggest affection, sexual interest, dominance, caring,
or even aggression.

Despite these complexities, growing evidence indicates that when one person touches
another in a manner that is considered acceptable in that context, positive reactions
generally result

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