Emotion Psychology #CH30SP #swayamprabha

Understanding the Theory of Emotion

Introduction to Emotion

• The class introduces the topic of emotion, outlining the agenda which includes psychology of emotion, emotion models, limitations of traditional affective computing, specificity of emotions, and the relationship between emotion and brain symmetry.

Key Questions in Emotion Psychology

• The discussion begins with two prominent questions regarding emotions:

• What are emotions?

• How are they generated or elicited?

Defining Emotions

• Emotions are complex and challenging to define; a common definition involves interactions between subjective and objective factors mediated by neural and hormonal systems.

• Emotions lead to affective experiences such as feelings of arousal, pleasure, or displeasure.

Components of Emotional Experience

• The emotional experience consists of:

• Affective experiences (feelings).

• Cognitive processes (perception and appraisal).

• Physiological adjustments (body responses).

Activation and Action Following Emotion

• After experiencing an emotion:

• Physiological changes occur (e.g., heart rate changes).

• This leads to actions or behaviors that may be expressive or goal-oriented based on the felt emotion.

Example Scenario: Encountering Danger

Emotional Response to Threat

• An example is provided where encountering a lion in a forest illustrates how both subjective (knowledge about lions being dangerous) and objective factors (presence of the lion) influence emotional response.

Breakdown of Emotional Experience

• Upon seeing a lion:

• Affective experience: Feeling scared.

Understanding Emotions and Their Components

Cognitive Processes in Emotion

• The initial step involves evaluating options when faced with a fear-inducing situation, such as encountering a lion.

• If escape is not possible, the body prepares for action through physiological adjustments, indicating a response to fear.

• Increased heart rate and blood flow to limbs are examples of how the body readies itself for potential flight or fight responses.

Physiological Adjustments

• Sweating and heightened alertness are common physiological reactions that accompany emotional experiences like fear.

• These adjustments lead to specific behaviors; running away from danger becomes an expressive action driven by the emotion felt.

Behavioral Responses

• The decision to run towards safety illustrates adaptive behavior resulting from cognitive evaluations and emotional responses.

• This process highlights four key components of emotions: affective experience, cognitive processes, physiological changes, and resultant actions.

Generating Emotions

• A critical question arises: Do we run because we are afraid or are we afraid because we run?

• Historical perspectives on this question include William James's proposition that bodily responses generate emotions.

Theories of Emotion

• James's theory suggests that physical reactions (e.g., racing heart, tense muscles) lead to feelings of fear.

• Criticism of this view includes arguments that thoughts precede physical sensations in generating emotions.

Cognitive Evaluation vs. Physiological Response

• Critics argue that emotions arise from cognitive evaluations rather than solely from physiological states.

Understanding Emotions and Their Generation

The Relationship Between Bodily Reactions and Emotions

• Feedback from the brain gives each emotion its unique quality, making it difficult to determine whether bodily reactions precede emotions or vice versa.

• In a scenario with a bear, an individual's emotional response can vary based on their perception; fear for one person versus happiness for a well-armed hunter.

• The thought process influences emotional responses; expectations of encountering a bear can lead to different feelings based on one's mindset before the encounter.

• An ordinary person's curiosity about seeing a bear illustrates that emotions are not solely dictated by stimuli but also by individual perceptions and thoughts.

• The debate between two theories (James-Lange vs. Cannon-Bard) suggests that both bodily reactions and cognitive processes contribute simultaneously to emotional experiences.

Components of Emotion Generation

• It is not entirely accurate to claim that emotions arise solely from bodily reactions or cognitive processes; rather, they occur in tandem.

• Psychologists often lean towards the idea that thoughts lead to perceptions, which then generate emotions, indicating a complex interplay between mind and body.

• Understanding how emotions are generated involves recognizing the sequence: thought processes lead to perceptions, followed by bodily reactions that feedback into the brain's response system.

Bidirectional Projections in Emotion Processing

• Emotions involve bidirectional communication where both brain activity impacts bodily responses and vice versa.

• Efferent neurons communicate signals from the central nervous system (CNS), while afferent neurons relay bodily reactions back to the CNS, creating pathways for emotional processing.

Example of Body Impacting Brain: Laughter Yoga

• Laughter yoga exemplifies how physical actions can influence emotional states; participants laugh together without needing humor as context initially.

• Initially awkwardness may arise when trying to laugh without joy, but over time this practice fosters genuine feelings of happiness through physical engagement.

Understanding the Impact of Laughter on Emotions

The Role of Laughter Yoga

• Laughter can be experienced naturally, as seen in laughter yoga, where joy is felt without humor or cognitive thought. This illustrates how bodily experiences influence emotional states.

Experiments on Body and Brain Interaction

• Researchers have conducted experiments to explore how bodily actions affect emotional experiences. A notable study by St. et al. in 1988 examined the role of facial muscle contractions in emotions.

• Participants were asked to hold a pencil either with their lips (inhibiting smiles) or teeth (mimicking smiles), allowing researchers to assess the impact on their emotional responses.

Findings from Facial Muscle Studies

• Results showed that participants holding the pencil with their lips rated cartoons as less amusing compared to those holding it with their teeth, who found them more amusing due to mimicked smiling behavior.

• This experiment suggests that inhibiting a smile sends signals to the brain indicating a lack of amusement, while mimicking a smile conveys an amusing scenario even before encountering humor.

Bidirectional Influence Between Body and Brain

• The findings highlight bidirectional projections: while it's common for the brain to influence bodily reactions, there are significant instances where body movements can also affect brain activity and emotional experiences.

Models of Emotion Perception

• Understanding emotions involves distinguishing between perceived and induced emotions, as proposed by Gabrielson.

Perceived vs Induced Emotions

• Perceived emotion refers to feelings recognized within stimuli (e.g., music conveying happiness or sadness).

• Induced emotion is what listeners actually experience; it may align with perceived emotion when stimuli evoke similar feelings in individuals.

Understanding Emotions in Affective Computing

Distinction Between Perceived and Induced Emotions

• The speaker discusses the difference between experiencing happiness and sadness, emphasizing that emotions can vary significantly. This distinction is crucial in understanding emotional responses.

• In affective computing, it's important to differentiate between perceived emotions (those recognized from stimuli) and induced emotions (those generated internally). This differentiation aids researchers and practitioners in their work.

• Induced emotions are heavily influenced by individual factors such as thoughts, desires, beliefs, and intentions. This variability highlights the complexity of emotional experiences among different individuals.

• The speaker notes that discussions about emotions often focus on perceived emotions related to stimuli or systems. Understanding these perceptions is vital for effective communication within the field of affective computing.

Models of Emotion Representation