Lecture 1. What are emotions? (And why do we have them?)
Emotions in folk psychology So not true statements!
You should be rational, not act upon your emotions
My heart says one thing, but my head says something else…
Emotions come over me, they happen to me…
You need to vent your anger…
Time heals…
Emotions helpful or harmful?
Emotions are a signal. Like pain tells you that something needs to be looked after
in your body... Emotions tell you that something meaningful has happened
Emotions = communication
The functionalistic view on emotions (Frijda, 1986)
every emotion starts with a concern, concern is at stake changes in action readiness:
aimed to change or maintain relationships. You have the attention to act, but you might not
do it.
Primary appraisal:
Defines good / not good
Quasi automatic
Focus on event
Physiological arousal
o Primary function of physiological changes is provision of energy, mobilization
of the organism prepare for action. Little evidence that specific patterns
underlie specific emotions (e.g., heart rate, blood flow)
Latency time…
Secondary arousal:
Previous experiences
Own abilities
Which strategy
Different responses possible
Determines which emotions
Emotion label IS NOT the emotion (in folk psychology it is. ‘I’m angry, I’m sad etc.). The label
of the emotion, that one word, is the reflection of the whole process. It’s not about that
actual feeling you have right now. If you say you were afraid, someone understands all the
steps in the process before. It’s a strong way of communication.
What is an emotion? Based on functionalistic view on emotions (Scherer, 2000)
1
,1. Physiological arousal
2. Motor expression
3. Cognitive processing (appraisal)
4. Subjective feeling state
5. Action tendency
Which emotion?
Emotions don’t ‘just’ happen. The outcome one wants to achieve, or one thinks one is able
to achieve, determines the emotional reaction. It’s influenced by social context and focus.
Deaf children
> 90% grows up in hearing environment (there participating in the hearing world:
parents can hear, peers can hear, in classroom everyone can hear, etc.)
Consequences:
o Fewer communication means
o Little communication time
Problems in social – emotional development
o You become emotional competent or emotional intelligent in your social
context. If you’re not trained in your social context, you would just slap
everyone who comes in your way. Deaf children have little social context
training, so they are less trained in emotional intelligence than ‘normal’
children.
Anger or sadness?
Sadness
o Focus on consequence
o Evaluation: reinstatement desired situation is impossible
Anger
o Focus on cause
o Evaluation: reinstatement desired situation is possible
Imagine
Your friend drops your iPad, it doesn’t work well anymore. How do you feel: angry or sad?
Emotion predictions
Deaf children would more often react with sadness. If you have no means of negotiating
with the environment as deaf children will have less means, then it’s very difficult. Anger is
for achieving a goal. Many hearing children also choose sadness, but many more than deaf
children respond with anger. Why? ‘her father has to pay for a new iPad.’ They wanted to
regain. Reinstolment. = goal for anger. (At least they wanted an apology)
Emotions have an interpersonal function
2
, Communication to rap this whole up! And we do this strategically. ITS ALWAYS LINKED TO A
SPECIFIC SITUATION that caused it. There’s always an event that changed your perception
(someone lied, you’re mad. Or you think someone lied, now you’re mad).
Interpersonal function of:
Fear
o Avoiding harm. Break the relationship, stop relationship
Anger
o Stop another person from harming you. Reinstating the balance you had
before with the other person
Love
o Bonding. It’s about receiving love. Conformation. You want to feel part of
something.
Jealousy
o You want to keep what’s yours, what you think is yours
Shame
o Failed to live up to ego-ideal in context of social norms and values. You want
to show that you understand and you will be accepted again as a group
member.
Pride
o Reinforces you to do it again.
James-Lange theory (1884/5)
Perception of an event physiological arousal subjective feeling
Emotion is our feeling (awareness) of the bodily changes as they occur
Thus, subjective feeling state is a consequence rather than a cause
Problem James-Lange theory
Open to misinterpretation
Blushing is a sign of:
Room is too warm?
Upcoming flu?
Embarrassment?
Etc.
Innate or learned?
Everyone experiences emotions. When these emotions are experienced and how they are
expressed is learned socialization.
How do children learn about emotions? Different sources of information teach children
about emotions:
Self-observation
3
