Emotionality is the observable behavioral and physiological component of emotion, and is a measure of a person's emotional reactivity to a stimulus.[1] Often these responses can be observed by other people, while some emotional responses can only be observed by the person experiencing them.[2] Emotionality is often used by psychology researchers to operationalize emotion in research studies.[1]
Examples of Emotionality
edit- Facial expressions
- Smile
- Frown
- Creased forehead
- Wide eyes
- Physiological responses
- muscle tension
- elevated heart rate
- sweating
- nausea
- shaking
- gastrointestinal distress
- Observable behavior
- averted gaze
- avoidance
- excitement
- fidgeting
- gasping
Early Theories of Emotion
editBy the late 1800s, many high-quality contributions had been made to the theory of emotion by psychologists and scientists such as Wilhelm Wundt, George Stout, William McDougall, William James, and George Herbert Mead. William James preferred to focus on the physiological aspects of emotional response, though he did not disregard the perceptual or cognitive components. William McDougall thought of emotion as the articulation of a natural response built on instinct. Other psychologists reasoned that although gestures express emotion, this is not the entirety of their function. Wundt analyzed that emotion portrays both expression and communication.[2]
Emotion as Irrational
editOne of the oldest issues of emotion is the one that believes emotion indicates inferiority. In early psychology, it was believed that passion (emotion) was a part of the soul inherited from the animals and that it must be controlled. Solomon identified that in the Romantic movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, reason and emotion were thought to be opposites.[2]
Emotion as Physiological
editPhysiological responses to emotion are originated in the brain, the central nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, and the endocrine system. Some of the responses include: heart rate, sweating, rate and depth of respiration, and electrical activity in the brain. Many researchers have attempted to find a connection between specific emotions and a corresponding pattern of physiological responses, although it is said that these attempts have rendered unsuccessful conclusions.[2]
Theories of Emotional Response
editThe significant theories of emotion can be divided into three primary categories: physiological[3], neurological[4], and cognitive[5]. Physiological theories imply that activity within the body can be accountable for emotions.[6] Neurological theories suggest that activity within the brain leads to emotional responses.[4] Lastly, cognitive theories reason that thoughts and other mental activity have a vital role in the stimulation of emotions.}}[5] {{fontcolor|red|Common-sense suggests that we first become consciously aware of our emotions and the physiological responses follow shortly after.[7] Below are a few well-known theories which contradict this common-sense theory:
James-Lange Theory of Emotion
editThe James-Lange theory of emotion was proposed by psychologist William James and physiologist Carl Lange. This theory, in contrast to the common-sense view, suggests that emotions occur as a result of physiological responses to outside stimuli or events. For example, this theory suggests that if you are driving down the road and you see the headlights of another car heading toward you in your lane, your heart begins to race (a physiological response) and then you become afraid (fear being the emotion).[6]
Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion
editThe Cannon-Bard theory, which was conceptualized by Walter Cannon and Phillip Bard, suggests that we experience emotions and their corresponding physiological responses simultaneously. Using the previous example, when you see the car coming toward you in your lane, your heart starts to race and you feel afraid at the same time.[4]
Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion
editStanley Schachter and Jerome Singer proposed a theory also know as the two-factor theory of emotion, which implies emotion have two factors: physical arousal and cognitive label. This suggests that the physiological activity occurs first, then we must cognitively distinguish the cause of the arousal and label it as an emotion. Using the example of a car coming toward you in your lane, your heart would start to race and you would identify that you must be afraid if you heart is racing, and from there you would begin to feel fear.[5]
Gender Differences
editThe opposition of rational thought and emotion is believed to be paralleled by the similar opposition between male and female. According to Crawford et. al. (1992), "men are seen as rational and women as emotional, lacking rationality."[2] Additionally, in a study conducted by McRae et al. (2008), an fMRI was used to evaluate the neurological differences between men and women while exhibiting emotions. Distinct differences were found between the neurological processes of each gender that correspond to emotion within the brain. The researchers have hypothesized various explanations for this, though a distinct reason has not yet been theorized.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b Reber, A.S. & Reber, E. (2001). The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-051451-1.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e Crawford, J., Kippax, S., Onyx, J., Gault, U., & Benton, P. (1992). Emotion and gender: Constructing meaning from memory. London, England: Sage Publications. pp. 16–18.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Porges, S. W., Doussard-Roosevelt, J. A., & Maiti, A. K. (1994). "Vagal tone and the physiological regulation of emotion". Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development. 59 (2–3): 167–186. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5834.1994.tb01283.x.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Cannon, W.B. (July 1931). "Again the James-Lange and the thalamic theories of emotion". Psychological Review. 38 (4): 281–295. doi:10.1037/h0072957.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b c Schachter, S., & Singer, J. (1962). "Cognitive, Social, and Physiological Determinants of Emotional State". Psychological Review. 69 (5): 379–399. doi:10.1037/h0046234. PMID 14497895.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b James, W. (April 1884). "What is an emotion?". Mind (Oxford University Press). 9 (34): 188–205.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Ellsworth, P. C. (1994). "William James and Emotion: Is a Century of Fame Worth a Century of Misunderstanding?". Psychological Review. 101 (2): 222–229. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.101.2.222. PMID 8022957.
- ^ McRae, K., Ochsner, K. N., Mauss, I. B., Gabrieli, J. J. D., & Gross, J. J. (2008). "Gender differences in emotion regulation: An fmri study of cognitive reappraisal". Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 11 (2): 143–162. doi:10.1177/1368430207088035. PMC 5937254. PMID 29743808.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Category:Emotion Category:Emotions Category:Behavioral neuroscience