In both of these examples, neither theory is fully supported because physiological arousal does not seem to be necessary for the emotional experience, but this arousal does appear to be involved in enhancing the intensity of the emotional experience.The Schachter-Singer two-factor theory of emotion is another variation on theories of emotions that takes into account both physiological arousal and the emotional experience. More recently, research investigating the facial feedback hypothesis suggested that suppression of facial expression of emotion lowered the intensity of some emotions experienced by participants (Davis, Senghas, & Ochsner, 2009). They reported that individuals who were incapable of receiving autonomic feedback because of their injuries still experienced emotion however, there was a tendency for people with less awareness of autonomic arousal to experience less intense emotions. For instance, Chwalisz, Diener, and Gallagher (1988) conducted a study of the emotional experiences of people who had spinal cord injuries. This emotional reaction would be separate and independent of the physiological arousal, even though they co-occur.The James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theories have each garnered some empirical support in various research paradigms. So, when you see the venomous snake, you feel fear at exactly the same time that your body mounts its fight or flight response. According to this view, physiological arousal and emotional experience occur simultaneously, yet independently (Lang, 1994). Thus, the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion was developed. Furthermore, different arousal patterns would be associated with different feelings.Other theorists, however, doubted that the physiological arousal that occurs with different types of emotions is distinct enough to result in the wide variety of emotions that we experience. According to the James-Lange theory of emotion, you would only experience a feeling of fear after this physiological arousal had taken place. If you were to encounter some threat in your environment, like a venomous snake in your backyard, your sympathetic nervous system would initiate significant physiological arousal, which would make your heart race and increase your respiration rate. Recall what you have learned about the sympathetic nervous system and our fight or flight response when threatened. Over time, several different theories of emotion, shown in Figure 2, have been proposed to explain how the various components of emotion interact with one another.The James-Lange theory of emotion asserts that emotions arise from physiological arousal. Therefore, different people may have different emotional experiences even when faced with similar circumstances. These appraisals are informed by our experiences, backgrounds, and cultures.

Together, these are known as the components of emotion. Our emotional states are combinations of physiological arousal, psychological appraisal, and subjective experiences.

This section closes with a discussion of the ubiquitous nature of facial expressions of emotion and our abilities to recognize those expressions in others. This section will outline some of the most well-known theories explaining our emotional experience and provide insight into the biological bases of emotion. We might feel angry when we are betrayed, fear when we are threatened, and surprised when something unexpected happens. We can be at the heights of joy or in the depths of despair or. (credit a: modification of work by Kerry Ceszyk credit b: modification of work by Kerry Ceszyk) Toddlers can cycle through emotions quickly, being (a) extremely happy one moment and (b) extremely sad the next. Here we will focus on emotion, and you will learn more about mood in the chapter that covers psychological disorders. Mood states may not be consciously recognized and do not carry the intentionality that is associated with emotion (Beedie, Terry, Lane, & Devonport, 2011). Mood, on the other hand, refers to a prolonged, less intense, affective state that does not occur in response to something we experience. Emotions are often thought to be consciously experienced and intentional. Typically, the word emotion indicates a subjective, affective state that is relatively intense and that occurs in response to something we experience (Figure 1). The words emotion and mood are sometimes used interchangeably, but psychologists use these words to refer to two different things. An emotion is a subjective state of being that we often describe as our feelings. Compare and contrast the the Cannon-Bard, James-Lange, Schachter-Singer two-factor, and other theories of emotionĪs we move through our daily lives, we experience a variety of emotions.

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