What are emotions?

Emotions can be categorized by facial expression: Explanation?

Facial Acting Coding System (FACS) codified all possible facial movements and their combinations and asked people to identify the emotion.

Lust: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Sexual desire or receptiveness 2) Triggered by: hormones, sexual stimuli 3) Behaviors generated: courtship, sex (men: seeking; women: waiting to be sought out) o Adaptive value: reproduction

Sadness: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Sorrow resulting from irreversible harm 2) Triggered by loss, social separation 3) Generates separation calls, agitation 4) Adaptive value: promotes re-establishing social bonds

What are the 5 characteristics of basic emotion?

1) Universal and innate 2) Dedicated brain structures 3) Motivates adaptive behavior 4) Outlasts the environmental triggers 5) Linked to conscious processes

Emotions can be categorized by facial expression: Problem?

facial expression is more linked to communication than associated with emotions

Triune brain: Paleomammalian brain

limbic system and complex socio-emotional interactions

Emotions are social constructions: Problem?

social constructions cannot explain common emotional phenomena across individuals, ages, cultures and species

Triune brain: Reptilian Brain

survival mechanisms; basal ganglia and essential survival mechanisms

Fear: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Anticipation of possible pain or harm 2) Triggered by anticipated threat 3) Generates freezing, escape, defense 4) Adaptive value: prevention or reduction of harm

Seeking: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Anticipation of possible pleasure or benefit 2) Triggered by novelty, expectation, regulatory imbalance 3) Generates energetic exploration 4) Adaptive value: acquiring resources

What are the 3 special case emotions?

1) Disgust 2) Lust 3) Care

What are the 4 possible models of emotion?

1) Emotions reflect core dimensions 2) Emotions are social constructions 3) Emotions can be categorized using facial expression 4) Emotions are the product of the "triune brain"

Joy/Play: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Enjoyment of pleasurable outcome or activity; "fun" 2) No research on what kinds of outcomes there are that triggers it 3) Generates nothing or roughhousing 4) Adaptive value: reinforcement of outcome, gaining adult skills

What are the 5 basic emotions?

1) Fear 2) Seeking 3) Joy/Play 4) Sad/Panic 5) Rage

What are the 4 regulatory states?

1) Hunger 2) Alertness 3) Thirst 4) Pain

Care: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Loving response toward other individuals 2) Triggered by: infantile stimuli, maternal hormones 3) Behaviors generated: protection, aggression inhibition 4) Adaptive value: survival of altricial young

Disgust: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Response to contamination threat 2) Triggered by: food, gore, death, disease, moral violations 3) Behaviors generated: avoidance, vomiting 4) Adaptive value: avoiding contamination, maintaining social structure and hierarchies

Rage: (1) definition; (2) trigger; (3) physiological response; (4) adaptive value

1) Response to reversible negative outcome 2) Triggered by provocation, frustration 3) Generates aggression, energized behavior 4) Adaptive value: defense, goal acquisitions

Emotions are the product of the "triune brain": Explanation?

Emotion is a product of brain structures that have evolved over time, specifically separated into 3 brains (reptilian brain, mammalian brain, neomammalian brain)

Emotions are social constructions: Explanation?

Emotions are fabricated; we are constructing the emotions we feel in idiosyncratic ways. Direct descendant of James-Lange Theory of emotion - interpreting arousal states that somehow result in emotion

Emotions reflect core dimensions: Problem?

Probably too simple. Arousal and valence (good/bad) axes fail to capture some key differences (e.g. anger vs. fear)

What are the second order social emotions?

Shame and Pride (not genetically pre-ordered)

Triune brain: Neomammalian Brain

neocortex, (behavioral) flexibility, executive function