Emotion

It is a big concept, not easy to define. Drever (1964) Emotion involves ‘bodily changes of a widespread character- in breathing, pulse, gland secretion, etc.- and on the mental side, a state of excitement or perturbation, marked by a strong feeling.’

Components of Emotion Behavioural ▫laughing, crying, agitation, withdrawal, etc. Physiological ▫ANS activity - the ‘fight or flight response’ ▫Brain activity – PET and MRI Scans ▫Physiological measures – GSR, EMG Affective (Feelings) – e.g. happiness, fear, sadness, anger, disgust – these are usually private and subjective RBB

Theories of Emotion RBB

Cross-cultural Research supporting Basic Emotions Ekman – Researched the interpretation of facial expressions cross culturally Peoples from different cultures consistently selected the same emotion label to describe each facial expression Infants and Blind children display facial expressions spontaneously – innate. RBB

Cross Cultural Differences The number and type of complex emotions may vary from culture to culture. Situations that trigger emotions may vary across cultures The socially acceptable rules for which emotions should be displayed in certain contexts may vary across cultures. RBB

Basic Emotions Surprise-triggered by both the unexpected event and what might be “misexpected” event. Briefest emotion, once event is evaluated leads to another emotion. Fear- unpleasant, possibly the most toxic of all emotions. Varies in intensity from apprehension to terror depending on appraisal of event. Disgust-a feeling of aversion. Involves getting rid of or away from responses. Disgust related to Contempt difference is contempt directed at people.

Basic Emotions Anger- probably the most dangerous. anger aroused in four different ways: * frustration- interference in your activity or goal *physical threat- threatening injury *psychological- cause by someone’s actions or statement; rejection and/insult *moral/value threat- observing someone violate you most dearly held moral values.

Basic Emotions Happiness- positive emotion; *pleasure- positive physical sensations *excitement- arouse interest, opposite of bored *relief-happiness- to satisfy need *self-concept happiness- something/one enhances view of self. Sadness-rarely brief; suffering of physical pain, loss, disappointment, or hopelessness; sadness is a form or variation of distress

Emotions Misleading Theory of nonverbal leakage- ways to tell, from facial expression or body movement, feelings the person was attempting to conceal. * emblematic messages- signals of which is very specific, the nonverbal equivalent of a common word or phrase. *masking- using one emotion to cover up true emotion(s) *micro facial expression- brief facial expression lasting ½- 1/25 of a second *concealment- (deflection, avoiding); withholding some information *falsify- concealment with added false information

Points on Emotion: Research findings: -distorts perception -most unaware of emotion -awareness comes with emotional regulation -emotions can be out of control -short and long duration -helps cope with large groups of people -made to block conscious awareness -evolved to keep consciousness from playing with us; to deal with consciousness -neurologically found in the Limbic System (amygdala and perhaps other structures) in response to sensory information in most cases -usually directed towards people and objects -expressive: facial expression & other aspects of non-verbal behaviour such as bodily posture; Emotions can be inferred from these expressions. -behavioural: fight, flight, freeze, faint -affective (feelings)-personal and subjective