Theory of KnowledgeEMOTION
1. What is Emotion?
Turn to your partner, and answer the Turn to your partner, and answer the following questions together:following questions together:
• How are emotions triggered?How are emotions triggered?• How long do emotions last?How long do emotions last?•What determines the strength or weakness of an What determines the strength or weakness of an emotion?emotion?• Is it possible to exert control over emotions? If so, Is it possible to exert control over emotions? If so, how?how?• Do you make emotions happen, or do they happen to Do you make emotions happen, or do they happen to you?you?•How do emotions make you think differently?How do emotions make you think differently?
Share your ideas with the class.
2. Theories of Emotion
The James-Lange TheoryThe James-Lange Theory
Perception of emotion-arousing stimulus Specific
physiological changes
Interpretation of specific physiological changes as the emotion
The James-Lange theory of emotion states that different emotion-arousing external stimuli will produce specific physiological changes that in turn directly cause specific emotional feelings.
Thus, the external stimuli of a dangerous object will cause the physiological response of adrenaline release / increased heart rate, which in turn is felt as the emotion of fear.
According to this theory, you are afraid because you run.
The Schachter-Singer TheoryThe Schachter-Singer Theory
Perception of emotion-arousing stimulus
Physiological responses
Cognitive identification of feedback from
physiological responses as a particular emotion
Physiological responses can be interpreted in different ways – different people may label the same response as a different emotion.
According to this theory, I feel my heart beating fast because I’m afraid. He feels his heart beating
fast because he’s excited…
The Cannon-Bard TheoryThe Cannon-Bard Theory
Perception of emotion-arousing stimulus
Conscious experience of emotion
General physiological changes
The Cannon-Bard theory of emotion states that conscious feelings of emotion and physiological changes occur as separate but simultaneous reactions to external emotion-arousing stimuli.
According to this theory, you feel fear at the sight of a bear even before you run away from it.
TheoryTheory Source of EmotionsSource of Emotions Evidence for Evidence for TheoryTheory
James-LangeJames-Lange The Central Nervous System The Central Nervous System generates specific physical generates specific physical responses; observation of the responses; observation of the physical responses constitutes physical responses constitutes emotion.emotion.
Different emotions are Different emotions are associated with different associated with different physical responses.physical responses.
Schachter-SingerSchachter-Singer The CNS generates non-specific The CNS generates non-specific physical responses; physical responses; interpretation of the physical interpretation of the physical responses in light of the responses in light of the situation constitutes emotion.situation constitutes emotion.
Excitation generated by Excitation generated by physical activity can transfer physical activity can transfer to increase emotional to increase emotional intensity.intensity.
Cannon-BardCannon-Bard Parts of the CNS directly Parts of the CNS directly generate emotions; generate emotions; experiencing physiological experiencing physiological responses is not necessary. responses is not necessary.
Direct brain stimulation can Direct brain stimulation can produce feelings of pleasure produce feelings of pleasure or discomfort associated with or discomfort associated with emotion. emotion.
In review – Theories of Emotion…In review – Theories of Emotion…
• Emotion is usually temporary. Moods, by contrast, tend to last longer. Emotion is usually temporary. Moods, by contrast, tend to last longer. • Emotional experience is either positive or negative, pleasant or Emotional experience is either positive or negative, pleasant or unpleasant.unpleasant.• Emotion is triggered partly by a mental assessment of how a situation Emotion is triggered partly by a mental assessment of how a situation relates to your goals.relates to your goals.• Emotional experience alters thought processes, often by directing Emotional experience alters thought processes, often by directing attention toward some things and away from others.attention toward some things and away from others.• Emotional experience elicits an action tendency, a motivation to behave Emotional experience elicits an action tendency, a motivation to behave in certain ways.in certain ways.• Emotional experiences are passions that happen to you, usually without Emotional experiences are passions that happen to you, usually without willful intent.willful intent.• You can exert some control over emotions, since they depend partly on You can exert some control over emotions, since they depend partly on how you interpret situations.how you interpret situations.
(Bernstein, p. 310)(Bernstein, p. 310)
““According to most psychologists in Western According to most psychologists in Western cultures…”cultures…”
3. Emotion & Reason
-Emotional Hijacking
Reflection:Reflection:
How many times in your life How many times in your life have you done something that have you done something that was triggered by an emotion, was triggered by an emotion,
but without thinking?but without thinking?
Note some thoughts in your TOK Note some thoughts in your TOK notebook, then share them with a notebook, then share them with a
partner. partner.
“A friend tells of having been on vacation in England, and eating brunch at a canalside café. Taking a stroll afterward along the stone steps down to the canal, he suddenly saw a girl gazing at the water, her face frozen in fear. Before he knew quite why, he had jumped in the water – in his coat and tie. Only once he was in the water did he realize that the girl was staring in shock at a toddler who had fallen in – whom he was able to rescue.
What made him jump in the water before he What made him jump in the water before he knew why? The answer, very probably, was his knew why? The answer, very probably, was his amygdala” (Goleman p. 17).amygdala” (Goleman p. 17).
Can Emotion bypass the reasoning brain?Can Emotion bypass the reasoning brain?
1. The person perceives the stimulus (snake).
2. Information about the snake is processed in the visual cortex (in the neo-cortex, the reasoning part of the brain).
3. An emotional response occurs in the amygdala.
4. The emotional response triggers a physical reaction, such as fighting or running away.
The James-Lange TheoryThe James-Lange Theory
Le Doux’s work revealed how the architecture of the brain gives the amygdala a privileged position as an emotional sentinel, able to hijack the brain. His research has shown that sensory signals from eye or ear travel first in the brain to the thalamus, and then to the amygdala; a second signal from the thalamus is routed to the neocortex – the thinking brain. This branching allows the amygdala to begin to respond before the neocortex, which mulls information through several levels of brain circuits before it fully perceives and finally initiates a more finely tailored response (Goleman, p. 17).
Therefore, impulsive feeling does sometimes override the
rational part of the brain.
thalamus
amygdala
visual cortex
Counterclaim: Le Doux’s TheoryCounterclaim: Le Doux’s Theory
When else might this happen?When else might this happen?
• when we speak without thinking
• when we react on impulse (positive: to save someone’s life; negative: to hit someone)
• when we act on a ‘hunch’ (and turn out to be right…or very wrong)
• when we have irrational fears (phobias), such as a fear of that spider, even though it’s tiny!
• when we are filled with jealousy because our girlfriend / boyfriend is talking very sweetly (or so it seems) to someone else.
4. Emotion & Values
Elliot’s TumourElliot’s Tumour
Elliot’s tumour was the size of an orange. It was removed successfully, but after the operation Elliot was a changed man. Although he was as bright as ever, he used his time terribly, getting lost in minor details and losing all sense of priority. He was fired from a succession of legal jobs, his wife left him, and he was reduced to living in a spare room at his brother’s home.
Elliot’s neurologist, Antonio Damasio, found that although nothing was wrong with his logic, memory, attention or any other cognitive ability, Elliot was virtually oblivious to his feelings about what had happened to him. Most strikingly, he could relate the tragic events of his life with complete dispassion, as though he were an onlooker to the losses and failures of his past. His own tragedy brought him no pain.
Damasio concluded that Elliot’s surgery, while successfully removing the tumour, had also severed ties between the lower centres of the emotional brain, especially the amygdala and related circuits, and the thinking abilities of the neocortex. As a result, Elliot was unable to assign values to differing possibilities (Goleman, p. 53).
thalamus
amygdala
visual cortex
Conclusion: Too little awareness of his own feelings Conclusion: Too little awareness of his own feelings about things made Elliot’s reasoning faulty.about things made Elliot’s reasoning faulty.
5. Are Emotions learned or are they
innate?
Are these expressions the same in every culture? Are these expressions the same in every culture?
Activity: look at the facial expressions, A
to K, on the right. Write down a word
or short phrase describing the
emotion that is being expressed. This is a
secret activity -do not let anyone see what
you are writing!
Now share your words with your group. Did you all see the same emotions, or were
there some differences? What
conclusions can you draw from this?
‘When I first became interested in studying body motion I was confident that it would be possible to isolate a series of expressions, postures and movements that were very denotative of primary emotional states... As research proceeded… it became clear that this search for universals was culture-bound... There are probably no universal symbols of emotional state... We can expect them [emotional expressions] to be learned and patterned according to the particular structures of particular societies.’
Birdwhistell, R. (1970). Birdwhistell, R. (1970). Kinesics and Context. Kinesics and Context. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Claim: Ray Birdwhistell, anthropologist / linguistClaim: Ray Birdwhistell, anthropologist / linguist
Counterclaim: Paul Ekman, psychologistCounterclaim: Paul Ekman, psychologist
• humans have 42 facial muscleshumans have 42 facial muscles
• using these, they are capable of pulling about 10,000 using these, they are capable of pulling about 10,000 expressionsexpressions
• about 3,000 of these are relevant to emotionabout 3,000 of these are relevant to emotion
• most people around the world use similar most people around the world use similar expressions for similar emotionsexpressions for similar emotions
• this suggests that expressions of emotions are this suggests that expressions of emotions are innate, and not learnedinnate, and not learned
• but this does not mean that people in different but this does not mean that people in different cultures have the same emotions for the same cultures have the same emotions for the same reasonsreasons
• basic emotions are goal-relatedbasic emotions are goal-related
• these goals are linked to our evolution as a species and the these goals are linked to our evolution as a species and the behaviour of our ancestorsbehaviour of our ancestors
Example:Example: I am happy that my girlfriend messaged me because it confirms that she loves me – and my goal is to marry her and have children. Or: Or: I am angry that my girlfriend didn’t message me, because it goes against this goal.
Ekman, P. (1973). Cross-cultural studies of facial expression. In Ekman, P. (1973). Cross-cultural studies of facial expression. In P.Ekman (ed.), P.Ekman (ed.), Darwin and Facial Expression: A Century of Darwin and Facial Expression: A Century of Research in Review.Research in Review.New York: Academic Press, pp. 169- 222.New York: Academic Press, pp. 169- 222.
Paul Ekman: Basic EmotionsPaul Ekman: Basic Emotions
= emotions associated with fundamental life tasks, e.g. fear, anger, disgust, sadness, joy, excitement, love
“Each emotion thus prompts us in a direction which, in the course of evolution, has done better than other solutions in recurring circumstances that are relevant to goals. Stein & Trabasso (1992) say that in happiness a goal is attained or maintained, in sadness there is a failure to attain or maintain a goal, in anger an agent causes a loss of a goal, and in fear there is an expectation of failure to achieve a goal. Tooby & Cosmides (1990) tell us that emotions… deal with recurrent “adaptive situations…fighting, falling in love, escaping predators, confronting sexual infidelity, and so on, each [of which] recurred innumerable times in evolutionary history . . .” (pp. 407—408). Tooby & Cosmides emphasize what I consider the crucial element which distinguishes the emotions: our appraisal of a current event is influenced by our ancestral past.”
Ekman, P. In T. Dalgleish and M. Power (Eds.). Ekman, P. In T. Dalgleish and M. Power (Eds.). Handbook of Handbook of Cognition and Emotion. Cognition and Emotion. Sussex, U.K.: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Sussex, U.K.: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 1999.1999.
According to Paul Ekman:According to Paul Ekman:
Summary: What have we learned, so far, Summary: What have we learned, so far, about emotion?about emotion?
• Without curiosity – the feeling that knowing something is important – and a desire for knowledge, most knowledge would be impossible.
• Without certain emotions, such as the ability to feel that one action or decision is more valuable that another, we cannot reason effectively
• Emotions can sometimes lead us towards knowledge, even before we have found a rational basis for that knowledge
• Emotions often override rational thought, leading to false beliefs and inappropriate action based on those beliefs
• basic emotions may be goal-oriented
• the way we express emotions is probably universal; why we express them is probably cultural
• emotions allow us to prioritise our goals
Activity
DANCE, STOP, SHARE
When the music plays move about the room. Feel free to dance, this is a natural response to music.
When the music stops turn to the person closest to you and discuss the prompt given on the ppt slide.
One thing I didn’t know before about emotion…
I think the most interesting thing about emotion (as a way of knowing) so far has been…
I think intuition is…
