Psychologists have different ideas about how these

components work together:

HUMAN EMOTION
●​ James-Lange Theory: Physiological
Introduction:
reactions happen first, and then we feel the
emotion.
●​ Emotions: Complex reaction patterns
○​ Example: You see a bear, your
involving experiential, behavioral, and
heart races, and because your
physiological elements. They occur in
heart is racing, you feel afraid.
response to personally significant situations.
●​ Facial Feedback Theory: Facial
○​ Example: Feeling sudden fear
expressions can actually influence or create
when seeing a snake.
the emotion.
●​ Feelings: The conscious awareness or
○​ Example: Forcing yourself to smile
"outcome" of an emotion, often influenced by
can actually make you feel happier.
memories and beliefs.
●​ Cannon-Bard Theory: Physical reactions
○​ Example: Identifying the sensation
and emotions happen simultaneously.
of fear as anxiety because of a
○​ Example: You see a bear and feel
previous bad experience.
fear at the exact same moment
●​ Moods: Low-intensity, short-lived emotional
your heart starts racing.
states that often lack a specific starting point
●​ Schachter-Singer Theory: We experience a
or trigger.
physical reaction, then use reasoning to
○​ Example: Waking up in a grumpy
label it before feeling the emotion.
mood for no apparent reason,
○​ Example: If your heart races at a
unlike anger which usually has a
party, you label it "excitement"; if it
specific cause.
races in a dark alley, you label it
"fear."
The Three Components of Emotion
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Every emotional response is made up of three distinct
parts:
EQ is the ability to recognize and manage your own
emotions and those of others. According to Daniel
●​ Subjective Experiences (The Stimulus):
Goleman, there are five key skills:
The personal trigger that starts the emotion.
The same event can cause different
●​ Self-Awareness: Recognizing and naming
emotions in different people.
your own emotions.
○​ Example: Proposing to a partner
●​ Self-Regulation: Managing emotions and
may cause one person extreme
waiting for the right time/place to express
happiness but another person
them
intense fearof rejection.
○​ Example: Choosing not to yell at a
●​ Physiological Responses: Involuntary
coworker in a meeting, but instead
bodily reactions controlled by the autonomic
discussing the issue calmly later.
nervous system.
●​ Social Skills: The ability to interact
○​ Example: Your heart racing,
effectively and build meaningful
muscles tensing, or sweating when
relationships.
you are excited or scared.
●​ Empathy: Identifying the emotional states of
●​ Behavioral Responses: The actual outward
others and responding appropriately.
expression of the emotion.
●​ Intrinsic Motivation: Being driven by
○​ Example: Smiling when happy,
internal goals rather than external rewards.
grimacing in pain, or sighing in
○​ Example: Working hard on a project
relief.
because you find the work
fulfilling, not just for the paycheck
Major Theories of Emotion