Understanding Emotions

Understanding EmotionsDavitz 1970 found 556 words and phrases that are emotion related.

Universal emotional expressions are:-Happiness, Anger, Sadness, Disgust, Fear and Surprise

What is Emotion?

‘Emotion is a transitory, valenced experience that is felt with some intensity as happening to the self , generated in part by a cognitive appraisal of situations and accompanied by both learned and innate physical responses.’

Components1. Subjective experience of the emotion

2. Internal bodily reaction

3. cognitions about the emotion and situations 

4. facial expression

5. a global reaction

6. action tendency)

4 Theoretical Research Traditions on Emotions:‘Darwinian’ - (Darwin, 1972) Emotions

have adaptive functions - are universal‘Jamesian’ - (James, 1884) Emotions =

bodily responses ‘Cognitive’- (Arnold, 1960) Emotions are

based on appraisals‘Social Constructivist’ - (Averill, 1980)

Emotions are social constructions and serve social purposes

The brain and emotion

The amygdala

The orbitofrontal cortex 

Animal studies

The Darwinian Tradition

Emotional expression is ADAPTIVE readiness to face challenges communicates intentions to others

Evidence:Universal facial expressionsInfants Basic emotions (e.g.: Ekman’s ‘Big Seven’)

EMOTION IS INNATE

The Jamesian Tradition

Experience of emotion due to peripheral responses. Conscious aspect arises later when brain observes the response

Distinguishable patterns of arousal for each emotion

BODILY CHANGES = EMOTION‘We are afraid because we run’

Evidence supporting JamesPattern of autonomic changes DOES vary

with different emotional states

People reliving emotional experiences show different patterns of autonomic activity

Hohmann (1966) spinal cord injuries reduce peripheral responses - less intense emotion

The Facial Feedback HypothesisEmotional experience is determined in part

by feedback from facial expressions

It should be possible to manipulate how a person feels by manipulating their face

Movements of face provide sufficient peripheral information to fuel experience of emotion

The Cannon Bard TheoryTwo criticisms to James-Lange theory

Physiological mechanisms are too slow Not specific enough Instead - direct CNS experience of emotion,with or

without feedback : thalamus indicated

More recent :Various parts of CNS involved Strong emotions CAN bypass cortex (thalamus to

amygdala)

Physiology of Emotions Autonomic Nervous System

Either branch can be activated during an emotion Sympathetic branch excites organs under its

control - increase heart rate when angry/in fear Parasympathetic branch inhibits organs - causes

tears to flow when grieving

Emotions - Brain MechanismsStudies with animals and brain damage patients tell

us there are: 3 basic feature of brain’s control of emotion:Cerebral hemisphereLimbic system (amygdala)Papez Loop (anatomical circuit beginning and

ending in the hippocampal formation that he proposed subserved emotional experience (Papez, 1937).

The Schacter-Singer TheoryAROUSAL + COGNITION = EMOTION

The Misattribution Paradigm

Excitation Transfer Studies

Conclusion: Cognitive factors important in generation of emotion

The Cognitive PerspectiveEMOTIONS ARE BASED ON APPRAISALS

Emotions are responses to the meaning of events - associated with goals & motivations

Different emotions are associated with different patterns of appraisal

Change the way an event is appraised & change the emotion e.g. :Lazarus

Conclusions

‘Peripheral autonomic responses (including facial responses) and the cognitive interpretation of those responses play a role in the experience of emotion. In addition there is some direct experience of emotion by CNS, independent of physiological responses.’

Social Constructivism

Cultural variation in emotion recognition/emotion words/tone of voice

Emotion Culture (e.g.: Ifaluk tribe/medical students)

Categorisation of emotion differs across culturesSocial Referencing

EMOTIONS ARE CULTURAL PRODUCTS

Personality may affect mood or internal emotional state

Mild head injury can produce emotional changesHeller (1990) - >60% of people with left frontal-lobe lesions met DSM

III criteria for depression. Damage to the left frontal region associated with major

or minor depression as found in 60% stroke victims.The probability of depression is much higher in the

left than the right - belittles argument

Euphoria

Right hemisphere damage may result in euphoria and lack of concern about physical and psychological consequences of damage. may also show inappropriate affect, bursting into tears for no reason as so happy when told of a sad event eg a death.

  Rehabilitation of emotional functioning is especially important -

a long-term study suggests that individuals who sustain head injury are most disabled by emotional and personality disturbances (Lezak, 1987).

DiseaseHuntington's disease typically is manifested by

changes in emotional functioning (Lieberman 1979) 50% have major depressive episodes. Behaviour is reminiscent of the inappropriate behaviour of individuals with frontal lobe damage (Cummings & Benson, 1988).

 Inappropriate sexual behaviour Laughter Therapy

EMOTIONS & HEALTH

LOOKING AT APPLIED VALUE

Emotion, Stress & HealthHans Selye

Psychological factors influence physical health through stress response

In short term stress response is adaptive - helps us cope

Long term - changes can be maladaptive and lead to ill health

Stress & Infections

Emotional events can cause stressNeural & hormonal activity linked to stress

may influence immune function

Stress & Infections - EvidenceLab animals kept in stressful circumstances

(e.g.: overcrowding, loud noise etc) show depressed immune function

Stress has similar effects on humansGlaser et al (1987) Students have more

respiratory infections during finalsParkes & Brown (1972) Bereavement

Stress & Positive Emotions

Positive affective states appear to facilitate the body’s natural regenerative processes.

Possible to teach techniques to self-generate positive emotional states in order to have beneficial effects on health

Improvements have been seen in several patient groups