EMOTION

Overview How Does the Brain Process Emotion? How Can You Tell if Someone is Lying? What Causes Emotion? What Makes People Happy?

How Does the Brain Process Emotion? Autonomic Nervous System

Sympathetic functions (e.g., inhibit digestion)

Parasympathetic functions (e.g., stimulate digestion)

Fight or Flight Response Limbic System

Amygdala Hypothalamus

How Does the Brain Control Facial Expressions? Voluntary expressions controlled by

motor cortex Involuntary expressions controlled by

limbic system Universality suggests innate component

How Can You Detect a Lie? Assumption is that lying is associated

with emotions such as guilt and anxiety Attempt to detect physiological

correlates of these emotions

Polygraph Test Measure physiological changes

Galvanic Skin Response breathing blood pressure

High false alarm rates

Detecting Lies from Facial Expressions Trained observers can spot “faked”

facial expressions Based on voluntary vs. involuntary

control

What Causes Emotions? James-Lange Theory Schacter-Singer Theory

James-Lange Theory A situation causes physiological

changes (heart rate, breathing, hormones) and behavior (running, fighting)

The brain labels the changes as emotions

Evaluating the James-Lange Theory Facial Feedback effect Behavior Feedback effect Similar physiological changes for

different emotions (e.g., fear and anger)

Schacter-Singer Theory A situation causes physiological

changes We interpret environmental cues

Evaluating the Schacter-Singer Theory

Interpretation of arousal depends on the context Spillover effect in waiting room (Schacter &

Singer)

What Makes People Happy? We are not very good at affective

forecasting Overestimate the emotional impact of

positive events, e.g., winning the lottery Underestimate our ability to adapt to

negative circumstances, e.g., disability

Subjective Well-Being Although average income in the U.S.

has increased dramatically, subjective well-being has not

Subjective well-being is not strongly correlated with overall wealth of nation

What Does Predict Happiness? Learned optimism Engagement in meaningful activities

Work Leisure Spiritual

Doing good for others