3.2 Cognitive Level of Analysis Cognition and Emotion

Why do we clearly forget some events and forget others?

3 Components of Emotions Physiological Changes Not conscious, arousal of autonomous and endocrine systems Person’s subjective feeling of an emotion Ex. happiness Associated behaviour Smiling Running away

Emotions as a Guide Emotions and how we cope Cognitive appraisal: interpretation, what to do based on past experience Fight or Flight Prepares individual to confront or avoid danger

Biological Factors in Emotion Amygdala Critical to brain’s emotional circuit Emotional memories Adrenaline Released when strong emotions evoked.

Le Doux’s Model of Biological Pathways Emotional Brain (1999) Short Route Directly from Thalamus to Amygdala Long Route From Thalamus to Sensory Cortex and Hippocampus to Amygdala What is the advantage to having both a long and short route?

Cognitive Factors in Emotion: Appraisal How will this situation impact my well being? Positive and negative: Benefit vs. Risk Factors that Moderate Stress Appraisal of threat Appraisal of one’s resources to deal with threat Motivation Beliefs about self and world Environmental variables Nature of the danger, social networks

Problem-focused Coping Emotion-focused coping Aimed at changing the situation Emotion-focused coping Handle emotions instead of situation Escape Self-control Social support Positive reappraisal of situation

Appraisal and emotional arousal Speisman et al. (1964) Film about genital surgery What happened? What are the implications?

Emotion and a cognitive process The Flashbulb Theory Brown and Kulik (1977) VS. Neisser (1982) Flashbulb memories Compare and contrast the two view points. What have studies shown about the accuracy of emotional memories? Talarico and Rubin (2003) pg. 91

Results: Inaccuracy of emotional memories is common Emotional intensity Greater memory confidence NOT accuracy Why? Post event information Current attitudes and emotions my influence Past emotional memories are reconstructed Based on current appraisal of events

Breckler (1994) Holmberg and Holmes (1994) Memories of blood donation Memories of marriage