Psychology 40S Emotions C. McMurray

Emotion The word emotion comes from the Latin word meaning “to move.” First, the body is physically aroused during emotion. Such bodily stirrings are what cause us to say we were “moved” by a play, a funeral, or an act of kindness. Second, we are often motivated, or moved to take action, by emotions such as fear, anger or joy. Source: Psychology A Journey (Nelson)

Emotion Emotions are a mix of: physical arousal expressive behaviors conscious experience For example, when I am happy… Preview Question 1: What are the components of an emotion?

List all of the emotions you have experienced today

Emotion Emotions are states of feeling. They are our body’s adaptive response. Emotions are linked to many basic adaptive behaviours, such as attacking, fleeing, seeking comfort, helping others, reproducing etc. Such behaviours help us survive and adjust to changing conditions. Of course, emotions can have negative effects. Stage fright or choking up in sports can spoil performances. Hate, anger, contempt, disgust and fear disrupt behaviour and relationships. Source: Psychology A Journey (Nelson)

Emotions List as many emotions as you can think of… Acceptance Affection Aggression Ambivalence Apathy Anxiety Anger Boredom Confusion Curiosity Disgust Depression Doubt Ecstasy Empathy Envy Embarrassment Euphoria Fear Forgiveness Frustration Gratitude Grief Guilt Hatred Hope Horror Hostility Homesickness Hunger Hysteria Interest Joy Loneliness Love Paranoia Pity Pleasure Pride Rage Regret Remorse Sadness Shame Suffering Surprise Sympathy List as many emotions as you can think of…

Basic Emotions Acceptance Affection Aggression Ambivalence Apathy Anxiety Anger Boredom Confusion Curiosity Disgust Depression Doubt Ecstasy Empathy Envy Embarrassment Euphoria Fear Forgiveness Frustration Gratitude Grief Guilt Hatred Hope Horror Hostility Homesickness Hunger Hysteria Interest Joy Loneliness Love Paranoia Pity Pleasure Pride Rage Regret Remorse Sadness Shame Suffering Surprise Sympathy

Recipe for Handling Relationships Smoothly “Be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way.” (Aristotle, Greek philosopher)

Expressed Emotion Emotions are expressed on the face, by the body, and by the intonation of voice. Is this nonverbal language of emotion universal? Preview Question 5: How do we communicate nonverbally?

Expressed Emotion Are emotional expressions a carryover from earlier stages of human evolution? Charles Darwin thought so. Darwin observed that angry tigers, monkeys, dogs and humans all bare their teeth in the same way. Darwin believed that emotional expressions evolved to communicate our feelings to other, which aids survival. Such messages give us valuable hints about what other people are likely to do next. Preview Question 5: How do we communicate nonverbally?

Detecting Emotion Most of us are good at deciphering emotions through nonverbal communication. In a crowd of faces a single angry face will “pop out” faster than a single happy face. Presumably, we are especially sensitive to threatening faces because they warn us of possible harm.

Paul Ekman

Outsmart Evolution and Master Your Emotions

Expressed Emotion Facial expressions of fear, anger, disgust, sadness and happiness (enjoyment) are recognized around the world. Do we learn facial expressions from others or are we born with them?

Emotions present at birth: Experienced Emotion Emotions present at birth: Patrick Donehue/ Photo Researchers, Inc. Bob Daemmrich/ The Image Works Tom McCarthy/ Rainbow Lew Merrim/ Photo Researchers, Inc. Nancy Brown/ The Image Bank Marc Grimberg/ The Image Bank Michael Newman/ PhotoEdit

2 Routes to Emotion Source: http://blissfulkids.com/mindfulness-and-the-brain-how-to-explain-it-to-children/

Fear Response The amygdala responds to threats Our prefrontal cortex can help us to assess the threat BUT…when the amygdala is over-stimulated, it overrides or hijacks the prefrontal cortex. When this happens our fear and or anger can seem out of control, our brain has disengaged the prefrontal cortex! So what can you do…

BREATHE!

Name It! Saying the emotion we are having helps to re-engage the prefrontal cortex so we can think more clearly. Naming helps us understand how to use our emotions to help us.

Brain Games: Fear Response Teenage Brain The Anger Game https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=0akKEDAZHt4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=yaAuZbZSCu4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=bPHqPDVnA14

Can You be Scared to Death? ASAP Science

Fear or Phobia? DNews: Fear or Phobia

Brain Fact Fear and Phobias are learned behaviours. Gradual gentle exposure and re-framing can remove fears and phobias.

Why is Being Scared So Fun? Watch

Anger What makes you angry? Why does it make you angry? What do you do to alleviate anger?

Anger In excess, can lead to heart disease BUT Can also help people alleviate problems in a healthy manner

Do you agree or disagree? Catharsis Catharsis is an emotional release Catharsis Hypothesis Releasing aggressive energy through action or fantasy relieves aggressive urges Do you agree or disagree?

What does the research say? Expressing anger breeds more anger Hitting a punching bag leads to more cruelty Venting anger may lead to more hostility “Venting to reduce anger is like using gasoline to put out a fire.” Brad Bushman

How should you handle anger? 1. Wait 2. Deal with anger in a way that involves neither being chronically angry over every little annoyance nor passively sulking

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Facial Feedback

Micha laughing at sister crying Happiness People who are happy perceive the world as being safer. They are able to make decisions easily, are more cooperative, rate job applicants more favorably, and live healthier, energized, and more satisfied lives. Micha laughing at sister crying Preview Question 10: What are the causes and consequences of happiness?

Feel-Good, Do-Good Phenomenon When we feel happy we are more willing to help others.

Predictors of Happiness Why are some people generally more happy than others?

Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence is a combination of skills, such as empathy, self-control and self-awareness. Such skills can make us more flexible, adaptable, emotionally mature. People who excel in life tend to be emotionally intelligent.

Emotionally Intelligent People Self-awareness (tuned in to their own feelings) Empathy (perceive emotions in others) Manage emotions (ability to manage your own emotions and those of others) 4. Understand emotions (know what causes various emotions, what they mean and how they affect behaviour) Use emotions (use their feelings to enhance thinking and decision making) Page 397 Nelson’s Psychology A Journey

Marshmallow Test Walter Mischel (1972) presented the marshmallow delemma to preschoolers at Stanford University. “You can have this marshmallow now if you want, but if you don’t eat it until after I run an errand, you can have two.”

Videos: Marshmallow test 2 Zimbardo: marshmallow test explained Watch marshmallow

Marshmallow Test Explained Self-control often requires that we ignore immediate rewards in favor of larger, delayed rewards. Compared to the children who failed the marshmallow test, the children who passed it demonstrated greater personal and social competence in adulthood. Consideration of the future consequences of one’s behaviour seems to be associated with better health, greater job success, and stonger interpersonal relations. Self-control may be the master virtue. Source: Pursuing Human Strengths

Marshmallow Test and Emotional Intelligence How does Emotional Intelligence have anything to do with the Marshmallow Test?