11 Emotion, Stress, and Health

Nature of Emotion LO11.1: Explain the three components that contribute to defining an emotion. A state of arousal involving facial and bodily changes, brain activation, cognitive appraisals, subjective feelings, and tendencies toward action, all shaped by cultural rules

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.2: List the emotions that have a universal facial expression. Emotions and the body Primary emotions Emotions considered to be universal and biologically based Usually thought to include fear, anger, sadness, joy, surprise, disgust, and contempt; possibly pride Secondary emotions Emotions that develop with cognitive maturity and vary across individuals and cultures

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.2: List the emotions that have a universal facial expression. Facial expressions Reflect internal feelings AND influence them (facial feedback) Foster communication with others Signal intentions to others Enhance infant survival

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.2: List the emotions that have a universal facial expression. Cultural and social limits to readability of facial expressions: People are better at indentifying emotions expressed by others in their own ethnic, national, or regional group. Within a culture, expressions can have: Different meanings depending on the situation Different interpretations depending on the social context

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.2: List the emotions that have a universal facial expression. Facial expressions as only part of the emotional picture: People can feel emotions without showing them. People use facial expressions to lie about their feelings.

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.3: Discuss the brain structures involved in the experience of emotions. Cerebral cortex Emotion and the brain Cerebral cortex: Can override the amygdala’s initial appraisal Amygdala: Responsible for assessing threat Amygdala

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.3: Discuss the brain structures involved in the experience of emotions. Emotion and the brain Left prefrontal cortex “Approach emotions” Right prefrontal cortex “Escape emotions”

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.4: Explain what research on mirror neurons reveals about understanding and communicating emotions. Neurons for imitation and empathy Mirror neurons Brain cells that fire when a person or animal observes others carrying out an action Involved in: Empathy Imitation Behavioral synchrony Mood contagion

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.5: Describe the primary neurotransmitters involved in emotional experience. The energy of emotion When experiencing an intense emotion, two hormones are released: Epinephrine Norepinephrine This results in increased: Alertness Arousal

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.5: Describe the primary neurotransmitters involved in emotional experience. Biology and deception Can lies be detected in the brain and body? Polygraph machines: Most popular method of lie detection Low reliability and validity High rate of labeling innocent people as guilty Guilty knowledge test More successful, but similar drawbacks

Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11 Nature of Emotion, cont’ LO11.6: Summarize the basic research findings indicating that cognitive appraisal plays a role in emotional experience. Emotions and the mind Essential to the creation of most emotions: Attributions Beliefs Meanings people give events

Emotion and Culture LO11.7: Describe the ways emotional experience can differ across cultures, in terms of concepts, expression, language, and expectations. How culture shapes emotions Many psychologists All human beings share the ability to experience primary emotions, but secondary emotions may be culture-specific. Other psychologists: Culture affects every aspect of emotional experience, including which emotions are considered basic. Both groups: Culture determines much of what people feel emotional about.

Emotion and Culture LO11.7: Describe the ways emotional experience can differ across cultures, in terms of concepts, expression, language, and expectations. Communicating emotions Display rules Social and cultural rules that regulate when, how, and where emotions are to be expressed or when they should be squelched Body language The nonverbal signals of body movement, posture, and gaze that people constantly express Emotion work Acting out an emotion we do not feel or trying to create the right emotion for the occasion

Emotion and Culture, cont’ LO11 Emotion and Culture, cont’ LO11.8: Explain sex differences that appear to exist in emotional experience, and comment on the complex reasons for these differences. Gender and emotion Women and men are equally likely to feel all emotions, although gender rules shape differences in emotional expression. North American women are on average more expressive than men, except for anger at strangers. Both sexes are less expressive to a person of higher status and will do the emotion work their job requires.

The Nature of Stress LO11.9: Describe the three phases of the general adaptation syndrome, and provide an example that illustrates each phase. General adaptation syndrome Phase 1: Alarm Phase 2: Resistance Phase 3: Exhaustion

The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11 The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11.10: Summarize the activity of the HPA axis when the body is under stress. When a person is under stress or in danger, the hypothalamus sends messages to the endocrine glands along two major pathways. Current approaches

The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11 The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11.10: Summarize the activity of the HPA axis when the body is under stress. Cumulative effects of stress When stressors of poverty and unemployment become chronic, they can increase people’s chances of illness. Responses to stress vary across individuals depending on: The stressor The person’s genetic predispositions

The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11 The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11.11: Describe how psychneuroimmunology links activity at a cellular level with outcomes at a behavioral level. The Immune System: PNI Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) The study of the relationships among psychology, the nervous and endocrine systems, and the immune system PNI researchers are particularly interested in the white blood cells that destroy harmful foreign bodies (antigens).

The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11 The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO11.12: Describe some of the health benefits of optimism, and some of the health consequences of pessimism. Optimism and pessimism Optimism is better for health than pessimism. Optimists take better care of themselves. Optimism is directly associated with better immune function.

The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO 11 The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO 11.13: Discuss why a sense of control contributes to positive health outcomes. Sense of control Locus of control: A general expectation about whether the results of your actions are under your own control (internal locus) or beyond your control (external locus) Feelings of control can reduce or even eliminate the relationship between stressors and health.

The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO 11 The Nature of Stress, cont’ LO 11.13: Discuss why a sense of control contributes to positive health outcomes. Culture and control Cultures generally differ in the kind of control they emphasize and value. Western cultures: Primary control “Fighting back” philosophy Eastern cultures: Secondary control “Learn to live with it” philosophy

Stress and Emotion LO11.14: Summarize the evidence that negative emotions (such as hostility and aggression) detract from health, and positive emotions (such as hope and happiness) contribute to health. Personality type is less predictive of health problems than is hostility. Proneness to anger is a major risk factor. Hostility and depression: Do they hurt?

Stress and Emotion LO11.14: Summarize the evidence that negative emotions (such as hostility and aggression) detract from health, and positive emotions (such as hope and happiness) contribute to health. Clinical depression is linked to at least a doubled risk of later heart attack and cardiovascular disease. Lethargy Overeating Hostility and depression: Do they hurt?

Stress and Emotion, cont’ LO11 Stress and Emotion, cont’ LO11.14: Summarize the evidence that negative emotions (such as hostility and aggression) detract from health, and positive emotions (such as hope and happiness) contribute to health. Positive emotions: Do they help? Positive emotions appear related to: Well-being Better health Longevity

Stress and Emotion, cont’ LO 11 Stress and Emotion, cont’ LO 11.15: Discuss how confession, forgiveness, and other forms of “letting grievances go” contribute to health benefits. Emotional inhibition and expression Suppressing emotions can become stressful to the body. Two ways of letting go of negative emotions: Confession Forgiveness

Stress and Emotion, cont’ LO 11 Stress and Emotion, cont’ LO 11.15: Discuss how confession, forgiveness, and other forms of “letting grievances go” contribute to health benefits. Heartfelt forgiveness

Coping with Stress LO 11.16: Discuss how emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping contribute to the problem-solving approach to dealing with stress. Solving the problem Emotion-focused coping Concentrating on the emotions the problem has caused Problem-focused coping Taking steps to solve the problem

Coping with Stress, cont’ LO 11 Coping with Stress, cont’ LO 11.17: Describe three effective coping strategies that rely on rethinking the stressful problem at hand, and give an example of each. Rethinking the problem Reappraising the situation Learning from the experience Making social comparisons

Coping with Stress, cont’ LO11 Coping with Stress, cont’ LO11.18: Discuss the ways in which friends can help or hinder successful coping efforts. Drawing on social support When friends help you cope Friends can help: People who have networks of close connections live longer than those who do not. Partner support: Touching can elevate levels of oxytocin, the hormone that induces relaxation. Giving support to others can be a valuable source of comfort.

Coping with Stress, cont’ LO11 Coping with Stress, cont’ LO11.18: Discuss the ways in which friends can help or hinder successful coping efforts. Hugs and help

Coping with Stress, cont’ LO11 Coping with Stress, cont’ LO11.18: Discuss the ways in which friends can help or hinder successful coping efforts. Coping with Friends In close relationships, the support person may also be the source of stress. Married couples who argue in a hostile way have: Increased elevations of stress hormones Weakened immune systems Friends may be unsupportive or offer the wrong kind of support.