Class 12: Emotions and Cognition II

What comes first, thinking or feeling? Appraisal Theory: Thinking comes first Example: Wake in panic, it’s 8:30, you have a 9:00 AM class, then you realize—it’s Saturday. New thought (“Saturday”) new emotion? Separate Systems Theory: Emotions can come first Example: Your cousin say’s her new husband is great, she's so happy. He's so funny and silly especially after 4-5 whiskey sours. You hang up, no problem. Then you feel unease. Why? Relief How many whiskeys?

Schachter & Singer Theory of Emotion Emotion is arousal + cognition Fits generally with Cannon-Bard Central Systems Theory Emotion only occurs if: a. Body is aroused b. A reason for arousal is located c. The labeling of arousal determines emotion d. Arousal w/o cognition leads to no emotion

Emotion- producing event Social / Environ- mental information Physiological Response Emotion Schachter and Singer Model of Emotions +

Schachter & Singer Experiment (1962) 1.Subject told study concerns effect of new vitamin 2.Given an injection: a.Epinephrine (epi) or Placebo (saline) b.Told that shot is arousing (informed) or not told (uninformed) 3.Told to wait in room, fill out survey 4.Also in room is confederate (poses as another subject) a. Confed either very happy or very angry 5. Question: What emotion will the subject feel?

Results of Schachter & Singer Confederate’s Behavior Happy Angry Neutral Subject’s state Epi, uninformed Epi, informed Placebo, uninformed Placebo, informed Happy Angry Afraid Neutral

Fake smile Genuine (Duchene) smile Fake: Zygomatic (mouth) muscles only Duchene: Zygomatic (mouth) + orbicularis oculi (eyes) AB Which is the genuine smile, A or B? How did you know "A" was fake?

Gut Feelings in the Desert: Antoine De Saint Exupery and the Dragon Fly I shaved carefully in a cracked mirror. From time to time I went to the door and looked at the naked sand. … I was thoughtful. … For the moment everything was all right. But I heard something sizzling. It was a dragonfly knocking against the lamp. Why it was I cannot say, but I felt a twinge in my heart. I went outdoors and looked round. The air was pure. … Over the desert reigned a vast silence as of a house in order. But here were a green butterfly and two dragonflies knocking against my lamp. Again I felt a dull ache which might as easily have been joy as fear, but came up from the depths of me.

Saint Exupery in the Desert, continued Something was calling to me from a great distance. Was it instinct? Once again I went out. The wind had died down completely. The air was still cool. But I had received a warning. I guessed, I believed I could guess, what I was expecting. I climbed a dune and sat down face to the east. If I was right, the thing would not be long in coming. What were they after here, those dragonflies, hundreds of miles from their oases inland?

Saint Exupery in the Desert Wreckage thrown up upon the beach bears witness to a storm at sea. Even so did these insects declare to me that a sand storm was on the way, a storm out of the east that had blown them out of their oases. Solemnly, for it was fraught with danger, the east wind rose. … But that was not what excited. What filled me with a barbaric joy was …that I had been able to read the anger of the desert in the beating wings of a dragonfly. St. Exupery, A. (1939). Wind, sand, and stars.

Separate Systems Approach to Emotions a. Affective reactions are primary b. Affect is basic c. Affect is inescapable d. Affective reactions tend to be irrevocable, in contrast to cognitive judgments e. Affect implicates the self: cognitive judgments center on features of objects. f. Emotions are not always verbalizable g. Affective reactions don't always depend on thinking h. Affective reactions can be separated from content knowledge Robt. Zajonc,

"Circumstantial" Evidence for Separate Systems Theory of Emotions 1. Physiological: a. Hemisphere Specificity: Emotional expressions flashed to R hemi. recalled better than to L hemi. b. Amygdala -- direct link to sensorium, bypasses cortex 2. Developmental: Infants "know" emotions from birth. 3. Cross cultural: All cultures "know" same emotions. 4. Evolutionary: Emotion system existed long before neo-cortex

Zajonc “Mere Exposure” Experiment Purpose: To show “emotional memory” independent of “cognitive memory” Logic: We like things we’re familiar with. Method: Subjects see many cards showing a Chinese character. Some cards shown repeatedly, others shown only once. After viewing many cards, subjects asked: a. Which cards did were shown repeatedly? b. Which cards they like the most. Outcome: Subjects can’t recall which cards saw most, BUT Cards they like most were these cards.

Mere Exposure Study Main Point Things seen repeatedly are safe. We like safe things. Liking becomes an emotional memory for repeated exposure. Even when conscious memory fails us. “Preferences” (liking/not liking) “need no inferences” (conscious judgments and evaluations). Alternative Explanation (Winkielman): Cognitive Fluency -- things encountered previously are easier to cognize, and therefore feel more pleasant. Example: Music sounds better 4th, 5th time.

Studies Showing Affect-Based vs. Feature- Based Memory Hyde & Jenkins (1969) WORD LIST Leg Cup Money Skunk Dishrag Pretzel Subs. do one of three tasks: A. Count letters B. Does word contain "e"? C. Rate pleasantness Which group shows better recall? Rogers, Kuiper, & Kirker (1977) WORD LIST A a. Funny b. Lazy c. Athletic Word List B a. Sunny b. Hazy c. Sporty Subs. do one of four tasks: A. Compare fonts B. Does word rhyme? C. Do words mean same thing? D. Do words refer to me? Which group shows better recall?

Ekman’s Neurocultural Theory of Emotion I.Facial appearances for each emotion is set by evolution. II. Culture affects emotion in three ways: 1. Determines what kinds of events cause us to experience emotions. 2. Sets norms for expressing emotion—Display rules 3. Says how to act on emotions.

Ekman's Standardized Emotional Expressions

A wild boar is standing outside her hut. What emotion does she feel? A B C

Reconciling "Appraisal" (Cognitive) and "Separate Systems" (Emotion first) Approaches George Mandler Discrepancy Theory Richard Lazarus Soft drink, competes with Pepsi Mighty tree, sheds acorns Short funny story, ends with punch line Where there is fire, there is ______ White part of egg _____ COKE OAK JOKE SMOKE ALBUMIN Schemas are mental-preparations Built with experience Shape our perception, search-strategies VIOLATION OF SCHEMES --> EMOTION

Insomnia and the Attribution Process Storms and Nisbett, 1970 Richard Nisbett Idea: Would shifting explanation for night-time nervousness from anxious thoughts to a pill lead reduce insomnia? Why would this happen? How is this related to Schachter & Singer?

Study Design Subjects: 42 insomniacs at Yale "Arrousal Cond" "This drug....will increase your heart rate and...body temp., You may feel like your mind is racing...." What is predicted effect of this information on sleep? Why? "Relax cond" "This drug...will lower your heart rate...body temp. And it will calm your mind... " What is predicted effect of this information on sleep? Why?

Study Results Minutes to Falling Asleep Note: * Arousal pre-drug due to 2 outliers *

Storms and Nisbett Questions 1. Why would emotions keep you awake? Do they explain this? 2. S & M say that "if arousal subjects attribute less arousal to their cognitions...[they will sleep better]. What does this suggest about emotions and cognitions? What is keeping Subs awake? What keeps anyone awake, emotions or thoughts? 3. Does misattribution lead to: a. More potent target emotion ( I was feeling somewhat worried about test, now I am very worried )? OR b. Greater anxiety about the emotion, ( Oh no, here comes my anxiety!! I'll never sleep now because of my anxiety. I am worried about my worrying!)