THEORY OF EMOTIONS

Cannon-Bard theory

Submitted by: Paayas Kucheria

Submitted to: Dr. Nandha Kumara Pujam S
Course: MA/MSc. Criminology and Crime Science
Open Subject: Foundations of Human Behaviour
 DEFINITION
• The word emotion made from the Latin word ‘Emover’ which means ‘to excite’.
• According to Fish,(1984) “Emotion is a moved or stirred up state of organism caused by physiological
changes occurring as a response to some event and which tends to maintain or abolish the causative event.”
• Emotion is considered “a drive”. Emotions are communicated non-verbally by different parts of body, for
example eyes, gesture, posture, tone of voice and general appearance especially the choice of clothes.
• Psychologists have proposed a number of theories about the origins and function of emotions. The
Theorists agree on one thing that emotion has a biological basis, which is evidenced by the fact that the
amygdala (part of the limbic system of the brain), which plays a large role in emotion, is activated before
any direct involvement of the cerebral cortex (where memory, awareness, and conscious “thinking” take
place).
 CANNON-BARD THEORY
• The Cannon-Bard theory states that the lower part of the brain, also called the thalamus, controls
your experience of emotion. At the same time, the higher part of the brain, also called the cortex,
controls the expression of emotion. It is believed that these two parts of the brain react
simultaneously.

• More specifically, it is suggested that emotions result when the thalamus sends a message to the
brain in response to a stimulus, resulting in a physiological reaction.
 EXAMPLE

For example: I see a snake —> I am afraid —> I begin to tremble.

Man trembling after seeing a snake.

 COMPARISON TO OTHER
THEORY
James-Lange theory
-physiological explanation for emotions
-first experience a physiological reaction in response to a stimulus
 CRITICISM
• Criticisms suggest that Cannon-Bard theory places too much emphasis on the role that the
thalamus plays in emotions while largely ignoring other parts of the brain. The thalamus is part of
the limbic system and does play an important part in the experience of emotions, but more recent
research suggests that the process is more complex than the Cannon-Bard theory suggests.

• The basic assumption of Cannon-Bard theory, that physical reactions do not lead to emotions, has
been refuted by a number of studies. Research has shown that when people are asked to make a
particular facial expression, such as frowning or smiling, they are more likely to also experience
an emotion connected to that expression.
THANK YOU