PSYC560 Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior Cognition and Mood Models with Future Directions

Cognitive determinants of emotion Arnold Lazarus Each distinct emotion is elicited by a specific pattern of appraisal Smith and Kirby Distinguished between rapid and automatic associative processes and a much slower reasoning process Processed in Parallel Monitored by appraisal detectors Appraisal is not always the cause of emotions May be the consenquence Deemphasizes the social context

Multilevel Theories of Emotion Designed to identify key cognitive processes underlying emotion Recognizes complexity of the cognitive system Emotional reactions are trigged by preattentive (automatic) processes. “Knowing with the heart” (implicational meaning) “Knowing with the head” (propositional meaning) Difficult to test (infallible?)

Mood and Cognition Bower (Semantic Network Theory) Activation of an emotion node Activates related nodes in a semantic network Mood-state dependent memory Mood congruity Thought congruity These effects are found more often with positive than negative mood states Perhaps because people in negative mood states are motivated to change their moods?

Bower, Continued Patients with DID may show interidentity amnesia Possibly mood-state-dependent forgetting? More research necessary

Cognitive Biases Attentional bias Interpretive bias Focus attention on things that are related to recurring thoughts at the time Anxiety Interpretive bias Inappropriately assess neutral stimuli according to mood or affective state. Anxiety and Depression

More Cognitive Biases Explicit memory bias Implicit memory bias Inaccurately recall of factual information (experiences and concepts) according to mood or affective state Depression and Anxiety Implicit memory bias Inaccurate, unconscious influence of recall based on mood or affective state (e.g., priming). Anxiety

Now that we know all about cognition and affect…what are we going to do with our lives?

I find Sport Psychology appealing Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree 10

Sport Psychology Major growing area Goal setting Mild positive affect Imagery Performance enhancement Career counseling

I’d like to work with the psychology of spirituality and/or religion Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree 10

Spirituality/Religion There are very few cultures in which religion or spirituality play no significant role Not much experimental data, but theoretical works abound Largely psychodymanic models Transpersonal Some CBT and REBT

I would like to work with the elderly Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree 10

Geropsychology High demand Psychologists covered by Medicare in 1997 Aging population Geographic issues US boasts 13% of the worlds 65-or-older population The world average is around 7% New and interesting issues emerge Little interest among fellow psychologists = job security Psychologists covered by Medicare in 1997

Issues Around Geropsych Mood and affect Suicide is a leading cause, particularly among elder men Usual cited reason is loneliness Perceptual disturbances Agnosias Hallucinations Language Aphasias Memory Dementia Alzheimer’s Psychopharmacology Polypharmacy

I’d like to induce mild positive affect Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree 10

Gelotology Study of humor Mood congruent learning and recall Mood repair Physiological psychology Endorphin release Culturally based Ethnicity Generational Situational Deciding what is funny Stating the unspoken Sympathy (relating) Unexpected Use of humor in therapy is a growing area of exploration

I am interested in the impact of technology on individuals Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree 10

Cyberpsychology Impact of the “Global Village” Depersonalization Internet-based research Alternate reality lifestyle e.g., Second Life Distance education Distance relationship Distance therapy Interpersonal interactions with (not through) technology

Questions? Thoughts?