[Psyched-up-Nika’s Notes]
072 522 1600
University of Pretoria, 2021
SLK 220 Notes
Retrieved from R.F. Baumeister, B.J. Bushman. Social Psychology.
, University of Pretoria, 2021
Chapter 6 – Emotion and Affect
Emotional Arousal
Emotions bridge the mind and the body. Emotions are mental and physical. Physical and
mental aspects of emotions are linked together through the bodily response of arousal.
Arousal is linked to conscious emotions but not to automatic affect.
◌ Arousal: a physiological reaction, including faster heartbeat and breathing,
linked to most conscious emotions.
Arousal is a general bodily state.
James-Lange Theory of emotion (1884)
◌ Bodily processes of emotion come first and the minds perception of these
bodily reactions then creates the subjective feeling of emotion.
When something happens, your body and brain perceives it and respond to it; these
physiological events form the basis for the emotions felt.
Emotional Stimulus Physiological Arousal Experienced Emotion
James-Lange theory was unsuccessful: different emotions must arise from different
bodily responses, but data suggests that the body’s responses seemed to be very similar
for different emotions.
Body showed the same arousal patterns for different emotions. E.g., Tears are not
necessarily because of sadness, but intense emotion.
◌ Facial feedback hypothesis: idea that feedback from the face muscles
evokes or magnifies emotions. The brain reacts to what the facial muscles are
doing.
Facial feedback helps us recognise emotions in others.
Botox patients: seeing as their brain cannot process their own facial expressions, people
cannot copy the smile of another – which means that your brain does not read that they
are happy because your face does not have the slight smile you gain from when seeing
others smile.
Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion (1960’s)
Developed their theory in response to the failure of the James-Lange theory.
[Psyched-up-Nika’s Notes]
072 522 1600
University of Pretoria, 2021
SLK 220 Notes
Retrieved from R.F. Baumeister, B.J. Bushman. Social Psychology.
, University of Pretoria, 2021
Chapter 6 – Emotion and Affect
Emotional Arousal
Emotions bridge the mind and the body. Emotions are mental and physical. Physical and
mental aspects of emotions are linked together through the bodily response of arousal.
Arousal is linked to conscious emotions but not to automatic affect.
◌ Arousal: a physiological reaction, including faster heartbeat and breathing,
linked to most conscious emotions.
Arousal is a general bodily state.
James-Lange Theory of emotion (1884)
◌ Bodily processes of emotion come first and the minds perception of these
bodily reactions then creates the subjective feeling of emotion.
When something happens, your body and brain perceives it and respond to it; these
physiological events form the basis for the emotions felt.
Emotional Stimulus Physiological Arousal Experienced Emotion
James-Lange theory was unsuccessful: different emotions must arise from different
bodily responses, but data suggests that the body’s responses seemed to be very similar
for different emotions.
Body showed the same arousal patterns for different emotions. E.g., Tears are not
necessarily because of sadness, but intense emotion.
◌ Facial feedback hypothesis: idea that feedback from the face muscles
evokes or magnifies emotions. The brain reacts to what the facial muscles are
doing.
Facial feedback helps us recognise emotions in others.
Botox patients: seeing as their brain cannot process their own facial expressions, people
cannot copy the smile of another – which means that your brain does not read that they
are happy because your face does not have the slight smile you gain from when seeing
others smile.
Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion (1960’s)
Developed their theory in response to the failure of the James-Lange theory.
[Psyched-up-Nika’s Notes]
