EMOTION

An affective state of consciousne ss in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experien ced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.

The Meaning and Nature of Emotion

The term Emotion is derived from the Latin verb emoverse meaning to stir-up or to to move. It connotes a stirred-up bodily state.

Moods

Are mild emotions which last longer and are more temporary in nature, one who is irritable (mood) is more predisposed to anger.

Temperament
Is an emotional level characteristic of a person, one may be usually cheerful or grouchy.

Preferences
Are the mildest form of affective states and concern dislikes and likes, one may prefer sedentary occupations to the more active vigorous ones.

Attitude
Are organize patterns of preferences, one may have a favorable attitude towards dating or for smoking.

Prejudice
Are attitudes that have become formulated in advance of scientific evidence, usually unfavorable and held with emotional tenacity.

Theories of Emotion

J.B Watson
Found three primary emotions present in a newborn infant, fear, rage and love.

Fear

Was elicited be loud noise, by dropping and usually consisted of crying and aimless activity. Was the result of restraint in movement and consisted of thrashing, breath, and crying. Was aroused by stroking and petting and involved a smile, laughter and cessation of crying.

Rage
Love

James-Lange Theory
Two men a Danish physiologist and James in the 1880s stated that the impulse to act is the cause and not the result of the emotion, upon seeing a snake, we do not run because we are afraid, but are afraid because we run. Running stirs visceral reaction and this is the emotion.

Cannons Thalamic Theory

Walter Bradford Cannon, an American physiologist, He identified the hypothalamus is the center for emotions.

McDougalls Aspect Theory of Emotions and Instinct

Emotion as a conscious state and instinct as an inherited reaction, were two aspects of the same activity.

Instinct to Escape

Fear Emotion
Instinct Combat

Anger Emotion

Central Theory

Emotions come after thinking

Dana-Canon Theory

Emotion and thinking come at the same time.

Hedonistic
The pleasantness and unpleasantness of various emotional states are the essence of the emotion and these feelings distinguish one emotion from other kinds of states.

Activation Theory
Behavior can be aroused to different degrees, varying on a continuum from deep sleep to excited, emotional states.

M. Arnold Theory
Too much attention has been focused on the expression of emotion rather than on the perceptual analysis of the situation.

Analysis of Emotions

Motivates
One in the learning process, Stimuli that produce pleasant or unpleasant feelings or mild, or strong emotions result in great difference in the rate and extent of learning

Enriches
The actions of individuals. This may be either constructive depending upon the kind of emotions provoked.

Releases
Tensions and energy. This is especially so with fear where the excitement releases energy.

Achieves
Signification, Emotions reveal expressions that may not otherwise be expressed through words.

Inspires

Individuals to heights of glory, creativeness or ambition.

Accenture
The character traits of people so that conjunctive emotions like sympathy and joy join us with people while the disjunctive emotions like anger and sadness drive us away from people.

Determines
The direction that behavior will take.

Affects
Many bodily processes either quickness or disrupting certain behavior patterns.

Effects of Emotions

Physiological or Bodily Reactions

GSR Galvanic Skin Response

This is defined as the electrical resistance or conductance to the flow of a very weak electrical current from one point of the skin to another which decrease with increase in arousal

Blood Pressure- associated in heart rate increase in heart beat and is measured by an electrocardiogram ECG and sphygmonometer. Blood Volume-is regulated by constriction and dilation of blood vessels. Blood Composition- changes in the amount of blood sugar adrenalin.

Blood changes on pressure, volume, and composition

Respiration
This is measured by a pneumograph

Pupillary Responses
Studies indicate that the pupils of the eyes constrict in unpleasant states, fear and dilates in pleasant states as a function of strong sympathetic nervous system activity.

Salivary gland secretion is impeded

This condition produces dryness in the mouth.

Muscle Tension and tremor

This is manifested in the shaking of the lips in fits of uncontrolled by both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Pilomotor Responses
This is the result of the tightening of the muscles at the base of the hair ends causing the hair to stand erect and to cause the sensation of head swelling.

Gastrointestinal motility

This activity of the digestive processes change causing or the tendency to throw up.

Metabolic rate increase

Metabolism increase and is manifested in the amount of body heat given off causing one to sweat or to perspire.

Glandular
The adrenal medulla especially is activated.

Factors Affecting Emotions

Imitation
Culture teaches conventional ways of expression to the children.

Conditioning
Fear can, as in the Pavlovian experiment of the dog and salvation, be conditioned.

Understanding
A third way of learning emotions is thru understanding of the consequences of certain events.

Classification of Emotions

Personal
Those related to ones self and includes such emotion as pride, self-pity, shame, anger, fear, loneliness, remorse and guilt.

Social
Those related to other people like sympathy, friendship, affection, or the negative ones like envy, jealous, and hate.

Intellectual and Aesthetic Emotions

Those related to the higher faculties like ones intellect and consists of wonder, awe, desire, or the aesthetic emotions like admiration, appreciation, awe, elation.

Basic Emotion
Simple reactions to specific stimuli which may be good or bad, present or not, difficult or easy to attain.

Complex
Consist of more than one emotion like hostility, being a combination of fear, anger, jealousy, and lowered selfesteem.

Aquinas classifies emotions into:

A. Passiones Concupiscibiles: joy, sadness, desire, aversion, love and hatred.

B. Passiones Viascibiles: hope, despair, courage, and fear.

Developing an Emotionally Healthy Personality

Exercise restraint, temperance and moderation

Cultivate a sense of humor

Learn to accept the inevitable things in life

Develop an attitude of consideration Pursue a hobby

Avoid occasions that will cause violent emotion

Redirect the expression

Learn to accept yourself for what you are

Cultivate friendships

Some relevant news on Emotion

The very potent power of emotion, especially love, which is a very energizing force is nowhere demonstrated than in studies related to children in some orphanages in the States who have died within the first year of admission the reason Deprivation Dwarfism