1. Emotion, Stress, and Health
Chapter 11

2. Emotion
Emotions are a mix of physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, conscious experience
Three theories describing the cause of emotion
James – Lange Theory - The James-Lange theory refers to a hypothesis on the origin and nature of emotions developed independently by two 19th-century scholars, William James and Carl Lange. The theory states that within human beings, as a response to experiences in the world, the autonomic nervous system creates physiological events such as muscular tension, a rise in heart rate, perspiration, and dryness of the mouth. Emotions, then, are feelings which come about as a result of these physiological changes, rather than being their cause. James and Lange arrived at the theory independently.
Cannon – Bard Theory - The Cannon-Bard theory is a psychological theory developed by physiologists Walter Cannon and Philip Bard, which suggests that people feel emotions first and then act upon them. These actions include changes in muscular tension, perspiration, etc. The theory was formulated following the introduction of the James-Lange theory of Emotion in the late 1800s, which alternately suggested that emotion is the result of one's perception of their reaction, or "bodily change."
Schacter and Singer - The two factor theory of emotion is a social psychology theory that views emotion as having two components (factors): physiological arousal and cognition. According to the theory, "cognitions are used to interpret the meaning of physiological reactions to outside events."

3. Emotion And the Body
Autonomic nervous system responsible for the arousal of emotion
There is an ‘optimum’ level of arousal

4. Emotions And the Body Similarities in emotions Differences in emotions
Physiologically, sexual arousal, anger and fear look the same
show up in the areas of the brain, and facial movements
Negative emotions (disgust, depression) are located in the right prefrontal cortex
Positive emotions (joy, contentment) are located in the left prefrontal cortex

5. Emotions And Cognition
Depending on how we interpret the arousal, it can be either good or bad
Fear is not always ‘felt’ in the cortex
The amygdala often senses fear and reacts before the cortex has time to know what is going on

6. Emotions And Cognition
The amygdala sends more neurons up to the cortex than it receives, allowing it to ‘hijack’ thoughts
Our simple fears, likes/dislikes may occur without conscious knowledge
More complex emotions (depression, hatred, love) involve the cortex, and are affected by interpretations, memories, expectations

7. Emotions Expressing Sensitization to Emotion Detection of Emotion
Most people can correctly identify anger in a foreign tongue
A single angry face will ‘pop’ out faster than a happy one
We read fear/anger from the eyes, happiness from the mouth
Introverts can detect emotion better, extraverts are easier to ‘read’

8. Emotions: Culture Cultures assign different meanings to gestures
Simple test…
On a scrap piece of paper, write down your guess as to which emotion the following faces are expressing:

9. Emotions Expression Facial expression of emotion
Even individuals blind from birth will express the emotions the same way in the face
Cultures DO differ in how much emotion they express
In individualistic cultures, emotional displays are grand
In collectivistic cultures, emotional displays are muted
Forcing a facial emotion can cause the brain to experience the emotion, when no other information is present

10. Emotion: Experience Anger Happiness
Releasing anger can cause a reverse effect: people actually become angrier
Perception of safer, make decisions faster, rate job applicants higher, cooperative, live longer
**When we feel happy, we are more likely to help out others**

11. Emotion Experience
Just as everything else, the highs and lows tend to equal out
Adaptation
Relative Deprivation

12. Stress: And Health Stress Stress Response System Alarm Resistance
Exhaustion
is very simply how we evaluate and cope with environmental threats and challenges Include: Tests, meeting new people, driving somewhere new, starting a new job
Stress can be positive when viewed as a challenge and is short lived
When stress becomes chronic, either positive or negative, it has detrimental effects on the body
Alarm
Becomes activated by ANY stressor
Has the same response to all stressors
Sympathetic nervous system kicks in, raising blood pressure, dilating pupils, heart and breathing rate increases

13. Stress: And the Immune System
Stress hormones inhibit the white blood cells of the immune system
In animals, loss of dominance has been shown to increase vulnerability to disease
Linked to increases in the virality of HIV
Linked to increases in tumor growth

14. Influences on Stress Perceived Control Explanatory Style (Attribution)
Social Support
Excercise