Emotions

Definition.
‘Emotion’ and ‘motivation’ have a common origin – Latin term – ‘emovere’ – to disturb or move away. So, emotions accompany many of our motivations.
Emotions are complex private events as a response to stimulus that involve physiological arousal, subjective feeling, cognitive interpretation, and overt behavior.

Characteristics
Different emotions have a similar physiological basis.
Some emotions are innate (dogs also bare teeth when they’re angry)
Many emotions are learned (though conditioning)
(different cultures express some emotions in different ways – in China: clapping hands ? disappointment; sticking out tongue ? surprise)

Classification.
Plutchik’s Theory of Emotions Primary emotions: joy and acceptance form love. The emotion of anger is expressed by attack behavior, serves the function of destruction and is associated with an aggressive personality.
Stimulus ?cognition? feeling? behavior

Stimulus ? behavior ? arousal ? feeling
The James-Lange Theory
(1884) (1885)
Behavior precedes feeling :
We feel sad because we are crying;
We jump quickly to safety (when a car is approaching us) and then we feel fear or anger.
(it is untestable, many scientists criticized this theory)

Stimulus ?arousal ? cognition
Arousal –Cognition Theory (1962)
First ? physiologically aroused
Second ? look for environmental explanation for our arousal
Third ? interpret our situation cognitively and label our arousal as an appropriate emotion.
Cognition plays the important role in determining emotions.

The Opponent-Process Theory
(Rich. Solomon 1980 – emotions as pairs of opposites: fear ?relief; pleasant ? pain)
When one emotion is experienced (fear), the other is suppressed (relief).
(skydivers fear as they jump, relief when they land: with time fear decreases, relief increases) – a model of drug addiction.

Interpersonal Attraction.
The area of psychology that includes liking, love, and friendship cognitive intepersonal at-tion emotional
(positive, (positive,
negative behavior negative
thoughts and beliefs (the way we act) feelings about
about another person ) somebody)

Liking
People have a need to be with others (affiliation)
Proximity similarity
(geographical) 3 major similar values
Neighborhood influences interests
School intellectual ability
Work, clubs activity preferences
reflections of ourselves
as it makes us feel com-
physical attractiveness fortable

Theories of Interpersonal Relationships
<1> Social exchange theory
If rewards outweigh the costs ? continue
If rewards are too high ? look for an alternative
Rewards : status, information, money, emotional stability, enjoyment.
Costs: money, efforts, other unpleasant aspects of relationship.

<2> Equity Theory
People are motivated to maintain a fair balance in relationships
If one person is always taking and the other is always giving = unfair relationship. One wouldn’t continue an unequal, unsatisfying relationship.

Theories of Love.
Love is most complete relationship, it is the active concern for the life and growth of another person.

Falling in love:
3 conditions
We must learn through our culture, what love is, so as to learn what to expect
Requirements: proximity, similarity, physical attractiveness should be met.
We must experience a physiological arousal that we can label the emotion – love.

Stenberg’s Triangular
Theory of Love ( 1986)

8 kinds of love