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Summary Emotion and cognition (lessons 5-12)
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Emotion and CognitionRosanne De Waele
Academiejaar: 2020-2021, les 5-12
Gilles Pourtois
0. Emotional processing
To some extend, we can imagine that emotion corresponds to
value, when a specific value is attached to a S
Cognition is more related to information processing,
irrespective of emotion
But we have strong interaction between these 2!
This chapter focuses on emotion, how a specific value is assigned to a S, whereby the stimulus
becomes emotional, compare to a neutral S
0.1 Introduction
• “Everybody knows what an emotion is, until asked to give a definition . Then , it seems , no one
knows”
On the vertical axe: the ratings of the pp (You see huge
variability )
Horizontal axe: brain activity.
→ correlation between amygdala activation and the amount
of negativity seen in the face
Pp who see the face negative, activate the amygdala. But for
the pp who see the exact same face to be neutral/positive, there’s no amygdala activation.
• “Emotions are caused by evaluations of events or people in relation to concerns.”
− This evaluation is based on external or internal features provided by the S
− The evaluation is also made in the relation with goal or norms
→ this is why we see a huge interindividual variability
• S → link →
− Emotion is this magical link between specific S-properties (external) and specific response
tendencies (internal)
− And in this way produce goal adaptive behavior
1
, Emotions are triggered by specific events/stimuli? By mood the connection
with the trigger is less clear
Specific response tendency (action)
- fear: clear flee reaction (is specific)
- mood: less pronounced response tendencies (no clear cut action pattern)
emotions are really short, triggered rapidly, vanished also quickly after
onset
Mood last longer than a trigger (days months)
Emotions are more intense
0.1.1 The three levels of analysis
In this lecture, we’re mainly going to focus on the first 2
levels
Evaluation is the key!
Left part, we see the trigger. Emotion only
elicited when there’s a trigger
Then we have appraisal. We assume that
there’s an evaluation going on. Across the
different models, there’s not much
agreement on the specifics.
The we have the 3 differentiations. In this
level there’s agreement
After this we can label the emotion. Level of representation.
In this lecture we’re going to focus on the elicitation and one of the differentiations (motor
expression in the face)
We see a lot of variability, but now we’re going to focus on the features that are similar for humans.
3 classes of theories.
These names are important
2 theories: one predict A is bigger than B, and
the other theory predicts that B is bigger than
A
But in psychology it’s not that black and white
(The blue one is not going to be mentioned in this lecture)
Very little overlap between basic emotion and psychological construct
2
,But the appraisal is connecting the red and the green. Sometimes there will shared ideas between
the 3 theories.
0.2 Basic emotion theory
• Affect program theory
Module that allows to bind certain stimulus
properties with specific response tendencies
Happens according Ekman this happens
automatically
- Stimulus/trigger
- unspecific appraisal
- the appraisal leads to the affect program (key in de
model)
- then a specific action tendency, physiological
responses and feeling will be elicited.
- then you can introspect an assign a name to the
emotion
Categorical organization, each emotion has a specific
neuronal network
Each emotion has/is a different module and those do not
overlap
The physiology is the different for each emotion
An emotion is something with a brief duration and a
quick onset. This is shared with other mammals. We
share the same affect programs with other primates
(evolution)
According to Ekman we’re born with a set of emotions, we share this with other mammals and with
all humans.
• 6 basic emotions (or 7?)
We see that the motor expression is really different. This is
distinctive, unique proproteins. This is the key for Ekman
• Categorial perception
We rely on categories to analyse the incoming input and label it.
We’re not going to use the intensity of the emotion, we’re going to
use what’s common despite the little variation in the way the
emotions are expressed
When someone is really happy, this is going to be very clear from
the facial expression, but when a person is less happy, this is going
to be less clear from the expression. BUT this do not matter, in both cases you system is able to
recognize happiness
This is also what happens in these experiments. Irrespective of the variation of intensity, the pp
tend to recognize the categories
3
,• Facial Action coding System (FACS)
Combining the
different units
into emotions
The action units are important!
The different action units The way muscles change is not random. This is
defined by specific groups of muscles that react in a
very synchronized way. According to Ekman it’s
possible to identify 44 action units. No 1 on 1
mapping between action units and muscles.
We’re able to use specific groups of muscles; and those groups of muscles are able to use specific
action units. When we assemble these action units, we create emotions
What is fear according to Ekman? Activation of AU 1, 2,4 ,5, 7,
20 (26)
Then we will see a fearful face expression
You can also find these AU in primates.
• Ekman & Friesen
− People in other cultures (that don’t have contact with the our
culture), have the same 6 basic emotions
− Members of the Fore linguistic cultural group of the South East
Highlands of New Guinea
− Happiness: His (her) friends have come, and he (she) is happy.
− Sadness: His (her) child (mother) has died, and he (she) feels very
sad.
20 muscles in the face that don’t overlap.
Zygomaticus: smiling, happiness
Frontalis/corrugator supercilia: frowning/ - emotions
4
, Primary motor cortex controls what is going on in your face
This system is also influenced by the viscera.
Amygdala is able to influence activity in the primary motor cortex. The
primary motor cortex that sends an comment changing what is going on in
the spinal cord and face.
Based on the motor cortex and physiology, we see a distinct between the
upper and lower part of the face. There are different cortical spinal paths.
This is way you can move the zygomaticus irrespective of the corrugator.
You have the normal cortical spinal track: primary motor cortex → spinal
cord → periphery (face)
Probably in the primary motor cortex directly, the place where the comment
is elicited, there’s already the input of the viscera. At this level you can
already have specific change (emotional reactions). Path from the viscera → primary motor cortex
and therefor changing the descending cortical spinal track to the face. (dit stukje snap ik zelf niet zo goed.
Dus weet niet of ik het juist heb overgenomen)
That’s why there’s a dissociation between the upper and lower faces lesions. Ekman took this in
account and has different action units for the lower and upper part.
• Facial Electro-myography (EMG)
You won’t always see the activation of the AU with you
eyes.
Movie clips: face from neutral to emotional expression. PP
had to look passively to the faces
Clearly see a dissociation between corrugator fires with –
emotion, and zygomaticus fires whit a + emotional face
Corrugator gets deactivated by + emotions
Training people to express emotions.
Better at expressing and recognizing emotional expressions
• Duchenne or not Duchenne smile
Real or fake?
Zygomaticus major + orbicularis oculi, or only Zygomaticus?
− When you really smile, the zygomaticus and other AU are activated (region close to the eye)
5
,• Bubbles (bubble technique)
The AU have been confirmed.
When you combine the face with certain filters,
you see a degraded face. This stimuli is shown to
the PP and they have to say which emotion you
see
You can see which features pp are using to
recognize the emotion
Evidence that we don’t use the whole face to identify an emotion.
• Function
Other action units are used in the 2 faces.
− Fear increases sensory processing! Large opening of the eye. Can assume this happens
because we need additional info
→ function is to increase sensory processing
− Disgust lowers it. The opposite, we want as less incoming info as possible
→ function is to lower sensory processing
Emotions are universal. Replicating the results from
Ekman.
Caucasian: saw a Caucasian face and a Asian face
The other way around for the Asian pp
Mean recognition is high. Irrespective of the culture,
we can recognize the emotion
BUT there are also cross cultural differences!!
Eyetracking:
For specific emotion (fear, disgust), there were subtle
differences
6
,0.2.1 Strength & weaknesses
A. Strengths
• Theory linked with a specific method (FACS)
• Clear hypotheses formulated (cf. modularity )
• Enhanced validity
• Cross-cultural and cross species approach
B. Weaknesses
• Developed mostly with/for (static ) facial expressions
• Problems with complex emotions , or blend: “ proud ”;
“embarassed ”;” confused ”… (this is overlooked by Ekman)
• Based on artificial facial expressions (“apex”/full blown ; 100% angry or happy)
• Innate and automaticity criteria are debated
0.3 Constructivist emotion theory
• Dimension theory
Evaluation of the S, this evolution happens along 2 key
dimensions
- valence: - to +
- arousal: low to high
= core effect, allows to categorize and after that moves to
the next level (feelings, introspect)
This model can explain the variability
one axe captures arousal, and the other
valence. Each basic emotion of Ekman can be
located on this bidimensional model
You can do this also with words (instead of
only faces (Ekman))
Instead of assuming we have 6 modules, we
assume that there’s core effect. Shared
between pp and cultures. Allows to assign
specific value to the S
7
, This also connects to action tendencies. This theory also
assumes that there is a specific link between stimuli and
response tendencies
This link in no longer created by 6 different modules, but
created by valence and arousal.
are 2 axes enough to capture the variability?
Dominance vs submissive , third axe
You ability to control your emotions, is you ‘suffer’
from this emotion or not?
Then you can find difference between fear and anger
(both – valence and high arousal)
• Self-assessment Manikin (SAM)
method: to measure core effect
You can map each emotion with these 3 dimensions
There’s evidence that there is no correlation between arousal
and valence.
Use the SAM tools. The ratings are lacking correlation
between these 2.
• This theory is also validated using words. Looked at emotional words across different
languages/cultures. Ask pp to rate these words. The ratings are similar across cultures,
irrespective of your native language
8
,0.3.1 Strength & weaknesses
A. Strengths
• Simple theory plus method (SAM)
• Clear hypotheses formulated
• Well supported (by various empirical data)
• Works equally well for non-verbal as verbal information
• Inter individual (+ inter cultural ) differences considered
B. Weaknesses
• Definition of arousal ” is often unspecified physiological ? Subjective ? peripheral ? central ?
phasic ?
• Orthogonality of two main dimensions
• More dimensions (cf. dominance ) and order of dimensions
0.4 Appraisal theory
• Appraisal theory
Complex cognitive evaluation of the
S.
key in this model is the sequence. Appraisal
is not 1 thing. The S is analyzed according to
specific dimensions in a specific order.
1. Relevance
2. Implication
3. Coping
4. Normative significance: is the emotional
S in line with my standards or norms?
Multi-level appraisal with 4 checks.
9
, Can we asses change in the AU (Ekman) according
to the sequence?
Use artificial faces, where they could manipulate
the AU
There seemed to be indeed a fixed order.
AU gets activated as specific time, depending
on which dimension of the model is
considered.
0.4.1 Strength & weaknesses
A. Strengths
• appraisal (evaluatie) dissected
• can explain dynamic changing effects
• sequence => time course
• subject specific & situation specific effects
• link to motivation /goals
• complex emotions
B. Weaknesses
• sequence makes it hard to test it (in lab conditions
• “fixed ” sequence (novelty precedes valence & goal?)
• not very well supported by the existing data (focus on theory /model rather than data)
10
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