Emotion

learning_notes

Last updated: 8/16/2025

IMPORTANT NOTE: you don't need to memorize the names of different emotion theories

Theories

  • Facial-feedback hypothesis: if you bite on pencil (creates artificial smile), you feel happier
  • James-Lange Theory: physiological arousal makes us 'deduce' our emotion)
  • Cannon-Bard Theory: physiological arousal and awareness of emotions happen at the same time
  • Schacter-Singer two-factor theory: we feel arousal, and then put cognitive label of emotion on it according to our interpretation (e.g. if we feel aroused when seeing a snake, we must be afraid)
  • LeDoux: sensory info is both send to a 'shortcut' to amygdala, which causes immediate emotion (fear) and a 'slow path' that processes the info -> realizes whether we should be afraid)
  • Lazarus' Appraisal Theory: our emotional experience of depends on our interpretation of the same given situation we are in (e.g. roller coaster ride is experienced by A as fun and B as dreadful)
  • Opponent-Process Theory: when we experience one emotion, a counter-emotion will appear and lessen the intensity of the first emotion; repeated -> weaker first emotion, stronger counter- emotion, explains addiction to dangerous activities, e.g. falling in love with sky-diving

Broaden-and-build theory of emotion: positive emotional experiences tend to broaden awareness and encourage new actions and thoughts; negative emotions tend to reduce awareness and narrow thinking and action

Six universal emotions (generally universal across societies; Paul Ekman)

Display rules/elicitors: regulate how people from different cultures (or people from different genders, ages, and socioeconomic classes within a culture) display and interpret emotions

Evolutionary theory of emotion: we signal social intentions with emotions & increase survival

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