Emotions Emotions are universal – we all have them but we have them for different reasons in different situations

3 components of Emotion In order to be a true Emotion it must involve your entire being through the following areas… Physiological –a physical response from your body Expressive Act- a behavioral response that indicates that emotion (pumping fist, smile etc.) Conscious Thought- a mental interpretation and processing of the situation

Early Theories of Emotion James-Lange Theory- Emotions come after the bodily response (we only know we are afraid after we have run away in a panic) Cannon-Bard Theory- Body reacts and the brain determines the emotion simultaneously (we are afraid as we panic and while we run away)

Other Factors Affecting Emotions Physical Responses – can be the same for different emotions but body sensations can heighten the emotions Emotional States – Overriding or pre-existing emotions can color our ability to perceive and interpret new information as well as how we view ourselves Cognition- Higher order thought processes – reasoning, problem solving, critical thinking etc.

Cognitive Theories of Emotion Schachter’s Cognitive Theory- We feel what we think we should according to our thoughts and our environment (we are afraid because we thought about it and know we should be)

Other Cognitive Theories Zajonc- Robert Zajonc’s theory is that some emotions (particularly fear and aggression) are more primal than thinking- that they skip the cognition process and originate in the amygdala OMG! What is that thing!!! Lazarus- Richard Lazarus agrees mostly…his theory states that while there does not have to be a conscious thought process, there does have to be a subconscious evaluation otherwise why would we react at all?

Opponent-Process Theory Stems from Sympathetic/Parasympathetic Response After experiencing a strong emotion, a person will experience it’s opposite emotion before returning to a neutral state. Terrified about flying across the ocean- landing =feeling of relief, joy etc.

Emotions and Expression 4 basic emotions: Joy, Fear, Anger and Sadness Universal facial expressions that almost all people recognize: fear, anger, sadness, disgust, surprise, joy

Emotional Intelligence A series of skills that allow someone to easily identify, interpret and respond to emotions in ourselves and others Emotional Awareness- the ability to identify your own emotions as well as those of others. Managing Emotions-the ability to control your emotional responses and use them to maximize the situation or problem solve Empathy- the ability to understand and share the feelings of others (sympathy= feel for ; empathy= feel with)