Basic Emotions and Theories
Emotions are a mix of feelings and how we respond. What makes them more than just a feeling?
Emotions also involve physiological changes and how we express them
This project was done for Dr. Hunter's class at BCCC on 12/3/2024. Completed by Jazmine Miller and Keke Farmer
What does it mean to “appraise” something in the context of emotions?
Appraising is how you judge or evaluate a situation to figure out how it makes you feel
Which part of the brain is the go-to place for processing emotions like fear?
Amygdala
What’s Automatic Emotion Regulation (AER) and how does it work?
It’s when you control your emotions without thinking about it. Ex: Staying calm during a final
What distinguishes an emotion from a mood in psychology?
Emotions come and go quickly and are linked to specific events, while moods are more prolonged and can affect your whole day.
Which theory says that your body reacts first, and then your mind catches up to what’s going on?
That’s the James-Lange theory. Your body reacts, then you label the emotion
If two people see the same event but feel different emotions about it, what does appraisal theory say is the reason?
Appraisal theory suggests that the emotions experienced depend on how each person evaluates or appraises the event. One may view it positively, while the other may view it negatively.
When something sets off your “fight or flight” response, which brain area is calling the shots?
Hypothalamus
How can adaptive AER help you stay healthy?
By keeping your stress in check and helping you handle emotions better, adaptive AER reduces mental and physical health risks
If someone smiles even when they’re not happy, what might happen to their emotional state?
They might actually start feeling happier based on the facial feedback hypothesis.
If your brain decides to feel fear at the same time your body starts shaking, which theory does this match?
Cannon-Bard theory says emotions and body reactions happen at the same time but don’t depend on each other
Who is credited with developing appraisal theory in relation to emotions?
Magda Arnold
What role does the hippocampus play when it comes to emotions?
The hippocampus helps link emotions to memories, giving meaning to our emotional experiences
What is one potential negative consequence of maladaptive AER?
Maladaptive AER can lead to mental health issues like anxiety or depression because it prevents effective emotional management
What might a polygraph test measure to detect lying?
A polygraph measures physiological arousal, such as heart rate, respiration, and sweating.
What is the main difference between the James-Lange theory and the Cannon-Bard theory?
The James-Lange theory suggests emotions come after physical responses, while the Cannon-Bard theory argues that emotions and physical reactions happen simultaneously.
Schachter and Singer believed that emotions aren’t just about physical arousal. What else do you need?
A cognitive label to explain why you’re feeling the way you do
The thalamus is like a relay center for emotions. What does it do?
It takes sensory information and sends it to the amygdala and other parts of the brain for emotional processing.
What did researchers find about how Botox affects emotions?
They found that blocking facial expressions with Botox helped reduce depression because facial feedback influences emotional experience
According to Zajonc, how do some emotions occur?
Some emotions, like fear, happen before or separate from our cognitive thoughts, they’re more automatic.
Who proposed that emotions can be classified as either primary or secondary, with primary emotions being universal across cultures?
Paul Ekman, he identified basic emotions like happiness, sadness, and anger as universal
Schachter and Singer’s famous experiment showed that arousal can make you feel different emotions. What did they do?
They injected people with a hormone and watched how they misattributed their feelings of arousal to happiness or anger based on what others were doing around them
The amygdala's basolateral complex is critical for what type of learning process?
Classical conditioning and attaching emotional value to learning processes and memory
What theory suggests emotions are made from our experiences and predictions, rather than being something basic?
Lisa Feldman Barrett’s constructivist theory. It suggests that emotions are shaped by our experiences and what we predict will happen next.
In LeDoux’s research on fear, what’s the amygdala’s role?
The amygdala helps process threats and triggers fear responses without waiting for your brain to fully analyze the situation.