EmotionAn introduction and approaches

to understanding

T. Curwen

Write down 5 emotions

Are you 100% sure they are emotions?

What is an emotion?

Is an emotion different from: moods, sensations, traits, sentiments?

Are emotions:Dangerous?Harmful? Beneficial?Necessary?

Overview

Evolution of emotion: knowledge research approaches

Brain science, physiology, sociology

Emotion - defined

Early work

Emotions and passions are dangerousShould rid ourselves of emotionModeration to unify mind and moralsEmotion inhibited superiority

Early Behavioural/Cognitive approaches

Core of emotion is behaviour Facial behaviour Body movements Evaluation of something in internal/ext. environ Nature/inclinations to act Complex reasoning processes that lead to

emotions

Why little interest in emotions?

Behaviourism was popular during the 30’s

Focus on observable behaviours ~60’s - 70’s great interest in the

mind developed

Influences on emotion work since 60’s

Infancy and emotionAttachmentNeuroscience Cognitive psychology StressEthologyFacial Expression

Does LOVE have a facial expression?

Ekman

Emotion families Feelings in emotion familiesBasic vs. complex emotions

1. Brief 2. Unbidden/Involuntary 3. Unlike a lot of processes4. Automatic unconscious appraisal

component 5. Quick onset 6. Coherent

Ekman’s Nine Attributes of Emotion

7) Signal in the face and body

8) Universal antecedents

9) Physiology

Ekman’s Nine Attributes of Emotion

3 Criteria to help distinguish the emotion

The Physiological Component A Historical PerspectiveJames-Lange Theory of Emotion

The Physiological Component A Historical Perspective Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion

Two-factor Theory

Emotion

Physiological Arousal

Appraisal

+ =

What emotion is she demonstrating?

Is it an emotion?

Is the context important to interpreting this picture?

What is emotion?What is emotion?

Comparing emotion

Emotion vs. Moods Emotion vs. Sensations Emotion vs. Trait Emotion vs. Sentiment

Emotion components

The Physiological Component

The Expressive Component

The Cognitive Component

Emotion DefinitionsJames, 1884 – “bodily changes follow

directly the perception of the exciting fact, and that our feelings of the same changes as they occur is the emotion”

Barrett & Compos, 1987 – “emotions as bidirectional processes of establishing, maintaining, and/or disrupting significant relationships between an organism and the (internal/external) environment”

Lazarus, 1991 – “emotions are organized psycho-physiological reactions to news about ongoing relationships with the environment”

Frijda & Mesquita, 1994 – “emotions are first and foremost, modes of relating to the environment states of readiness for engaging, or not engaging, in interaction with the environment”

EmotionThree Components of Emotion

Evolution and Emotion

Outline

Elements of an evolutionary approachEmotions serve functionsOrigins of emotionsBasis of social relationshipsEvolution of language

Assumptions of Evolutionary Theory

1)1) Designed for gene replicationDesigned for gene replication

2)2) Selection pressures Selection pressures 1) Natural selection 2) Sexual Selection

3)3) AdaptationsAdaptations

1) Reproduce our genes

2) Mating is costly 3) Fertility

4) Giving birth is costly

Evolutionary Theory & Emotion

Evolutionary theory

How do these evolutionary theories/approaches apply to emotion?

Emotions as adaptations Solve problems

• Emotion functions to solve a problem

• Emotions affect our cognitions

• Face presents information to others

Evolutionary Theory & Emotion

Face presents information to others!