Emotion: Components, Emotional Process, Biology, Theories

Emotion is a complex feeling state having psychological, physical, and behavioral components, according to Kaplan and Sadock's CTP. Affect is the outward expression of emotion. According to FISH, emotion is a heightened condition brought on by physiological reactions to an incident that either perpetuates or eliminates the triggering event.

Components of Emotion

An intense emotion has at least six components (Lazarus, 1991)

1. Cognitive appraisal
2. Subjective experience
3. Thought and action tendencies
4. Internal bodily changes
5. Facial expression
6. Responses to emotion

1. Cognitive Appraisal

It refers to an individual's evaluation of the situation's significance to them personally. Take, for instance, a situation in which someone who wants to become a psychiatrist grasps the chance and succeeds. This incident sets off a cognitive appraisal, which leads the person to interpret the news or event as having personal relevance. Joy and satisfaction infuse the person when they realize that all of their hard work has paid off in the end.

2. Subjective Experience

This portion is frequently interpreted as emotional.  The feeling tone is introduced by the emotion. In the circumstances above, the news could cause excitement and euphoria. It's an individualized experience.

3.Thought and Action Tendencies

These are the impulses to think and behave a specific manner. For example, in the scenario above, you might have specific thoughts about what you'll do once you get the residency you choose.

4.Internal Bodily Changes

The autonomic nerve system is altered, resulting in elevated heart rate, respiration, perspiration, and stomach butterflies.

5.Facial Expression

 Essentially, these are muscular movements that cause specific movements of face landmarks.  In the aforementioned circumstance, for example, those in the person's immediate vicinity will notice changes in their body language and facial expression, such as a smile or eager motions. Many of these manifestations, according to Charles Darwin, are intrinsic for certain emotions.

6.Responses to Emotion

This is how people handle or respond to the circumstances that gave rise to their feelings. For example, in the aforementioned case, the individual might have shared his or her achievements on social media.

Emotional Process

To put it succinctly, it consists of the six feelings covered above. The person-environment relationship is the first step (an event that occurs).  Following that, cognitive appraisal results. Afterwards, there are emotional reactions, which include subjective perceptions, thought-action patterns, inward physical alterations, and facial emotions. Lastly, it triggers emotional reactions.

Differences Between Emotion, Feeling, Mood And Affect

These are often used as interchangeable terms.

Feeling

 It describes the passive subjective experience of emotion, such as tingling sensations, as well as the active experience of physical sensation and touch. It is a noticeable but fleeting response that can be used to characterize either a pleasant or bad experience or occurrence.

Mood

 A persistent and all-encompassing feeling that distorts the person's view of reality.  The reaction is prolonged or persistent.  There are fluctuations in intensity, duration, and mood.  Adjunctive explanations of the kind

Differences between Emotion and Mood

Affect

Affect is the current emotional reaction of the patient; it is the interpretation made by the physician based on the patient's body language, particularly their facial expressions, and it may or may not be consistent with their mood.
• It is flat, blunt, restricted, and of normal range.

Types Of Emotions

• Ekman and Friesen defined the six fundamental emotions—disgust, fear, happiness, sorrow, and surprise—in 1971.
• Izard proposed ten fundamental emotional expressions in 1977: surprise, guilt, wrath, disgust, fear, joy, sadness or discomfort, interest, contempt, and humiliation. The final four are mnemonic GICS, which is easy to recall.
•Izard further separated feelings into two categories in 2009:
• Basic emotions include feelings of shame, guilt, and contempt as well as negative emotions like anger, fear, disgust, and sadness. Positive emotions include interest and delight.
• Emotions can interact with cognitive processes to affect how the mind and behavior are influenced by memories, images, thoughts, and other stimuli. This is known as emotion-cognition interactions or emotion schemas. These recurrent emotional schemas could become stable as personality traits or emotional characteristics.

Also Read: Exploring Erik H. Erikson's Psychosocial Theory Of Development

Biology Of Emotions

• The control of typical emotions is mediated by four different brain areas.
• Pre-frontal cortex: goal-directed behavior is linked to the left hemisphere, while avoidance behavior is associated with the right hemisphere.
• Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC): It integrates with the cortex and lower brain regions, as well as emotional and attentional inputs.
• Hippocampus: Emotional learning is linked to it.
• Amygdala: It's linked to digesting new information that has emotional significance.

Theories Of Emotion

The three main theories are:

1. Emotions and bodily state
2. Theory of relationships among emotions
3. Theories about emotion and motivation

1. Emotions & Bodily State

These ideas concentrate on the connections between our emotions and our incidental body responses. The following are the four theories.
The theories of James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter-Singer, and a cognitive evaluation theory of emotion James (Bond) Can Skate in Casino is a mnemonic that can help you remember these. Cognitive theories of emotions are sometimes used to refer to the Schacther-Singer and cognitive appraisal theories.

James Lange Theory

he sense of physical changes is reflected in the perceived emotions.
Assume someone observes a circumstance in their environment that could elicit an emotion.  Specific patterns of body activity are triggered in response to a circumstance, leading to the experience of emotion. 

According to common sense, there is an exciting event that causes visceral stimulation and emotional experience. For instance, someone may spot a wild dog on the side of the road. The visceral arousal response will occur initially. The hands will get cold, the heartbeat will quicken, and sweat will begin to run down the palms. This will make the person feel terrified, which is an emotional reaction.

Criticism

In any emotional circumstance, the sympathetic autonomous nervous system may cause a broad arousal state. Accurately perceiving the activity of the visceral organs might be challenging at times.

Cannon-Bard Theory

Physical reactions and felt emotions happen on their own. They are both activated at the same time.  Brain regions that receive inputs form a pattern of activity and a perception of the surroundings. One such example is the hypothalamus. Both the top and lower portions of the areas receive these signals. 

Sent signals to the cerebral cortex, which interprets sensed emotions. Additionally, emotions are expressed by the outward muscles and internal organs of the body. Let's say someone meets a wild dog by the side of the road. It will then cause a physiological reaction, which includes perspiration, a faster heartbeat, chilly hands, and fearful feelings. This method can help you remember it: • Snapping a photo of a bird with a cannon camera.

Criticism

It is criticized on whether the perception of lower brain activity is the basis of felt emotion.

Also Read: Exploring Trailing Phenomena: Perception Beyond The Ordinary

Schacter-Singer Theory or Two-Factor Theory

The feelings experienced are perceptions of the level of body arousal.Assume that the state of the environment is perceived. A generalized state of physiological arousal follows, which is followed by the interpretation of the cause of the generalized arousal state or labeling, and finally, the experience of an emotion.The fact that there can occasionally be a generalized state of physiological arousal brought on by non-emotional activities like exercise but no emotional experience lends credence to this notion.

For example, when a person comes across a wild dog on the side of the road, their body goes into visceral arousal, which causes them to sweat, have chilly hands, and beat faster. The next step is labeling, which is the interpretation of the visceral reaction that occurs as a result of unsafe circumstances. As a result, the individual experiences fear. That was a feeling-filled encounter.

According to this two-factor theory, emotion is the result of both interpretation and the physiological reaction. As an illustration, in the situation above: Fear (Emotion) = Sweating (Physiological Reaction) + Wild Dog (Interpretation). Your lover staring at you (interpretation) plus your sweating body (physiological reaction) equals love (emotion).
Because it considers the origin of the perceived condition, it is a cognitive theory. The argument against the idea is that several investigations have not supported it. Emotions can occasionally arise before we consider them.

A Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Emotion

Richard Lazarus delivered it (1970, 1984). This theory highlights the fact that information is evaluated from a variety of sources, including Previous encounters, Considering the Results of Action, Propensities to react a specific manner. Feelings result from the body's assessment of information gleaned from external circumstances. A cognitive function that emerges from the situation's assessment is suggested emotion.

Let's say someone stops by a roadside and comes upon a wild dog. After evaluating the circumstances, that person will feel emotions and become viscerally aroused.  According to this approach, reevaluation is also essential. Reevaluating potentially emotionally charged circumstances and coping mechanisms is necessary.

As a result, in the scenario described above, a reassessment will determine whether a trainer is present or the dog is restrained, which will result in a decrease in emotional sensations and physical arousal.

2. Theory of Relationships among Emotions

It was given by Robert Plutchik (1970, 1980). It is a descriptive theory concerned with primary and basic emotions and how they can be mixed together. The theorist used three dimensions:

• Similarity
• Intensity
• Polarity

So, through his model, he represented eight primary emotions, such as

• Grief
• Terror
• Amazement
• Acceptance
• Ecstasy
• Rage
• Vigilance
• Loathing

There is a trick Plutchik can use to recall these. Eight planets remain after Pluto is eliminated, and these eight planets correspond to eight human emotions.  The strongest intensities are positioned at the top of each basic emotion and go progressively weaker towards the bottom. 

For instance, the strongest feeling is grief, which is followed by melancholy and contemplation. The intensity of emotions is represented by the vertical classification. Additionally, the polarity and similarities of the emotions are described. For instance, comparable emotions are closer to one another, yet mourning is positioned opposite exhilaration.
Anger, for example, is close to fear or hate.

3. Theories about Emotion and Motivation

 It's challenging to distinguish between emotions and motives.
Fear, for example, is an emotion that frequently serves as the driving force behind a behavior. Three primary theories are provided by:
Tomkins, 1970, 1981; Leeper, 1970.  The terms "slang emotions" and "motivation theories are LIT" might be used to recall the opposing and creative process theories of motivation.

Leeper, 1970

We almost exclusively exhibit emotionally restrained, goal-directed behavior. Furthermore, the emotional overtone inspires conduct with long-term implications.

Tomkins, 1970, 1981

 Motives get their vitality from emotions.  For example, when someone is hungry, that provides the motivation.  The motivation offers broad details regarding the body's requirements. For example, hunger alerts one to the need for nourishment.  As a result, an emotional reaction is evoked. For example, a person feels happy after eating.

Also Read: Human Aggression: A Comprehensive Approach 

Incentive and Opponent-Process Theories of Motivation

As was previously said, incentive theory is a pull theory that claims that emotional motive or trait is linked to the objective.  Many emotions are followed by opposite feelings, according to opponent process theory.

5 Levels of Emotional Reaction and Expression

• The five levels include:

1. Normal emotional reactions
2. Abnormal emotional reactions
3. Abnormal expressions of emotion
4. Morbid expressions of emotions
5. Morbid disorders of emotions

1. Normal Emotional Reactions

Events that conform to cultural and societal norms give rise to emotional states, which are reasonable and non-morbid reactions. These are distinct from aberrant states such as:  Over time, symptoms get better. Functional incapacity is absent or fleeting in normal reactions. For example, a person in grief or depression may experience similar symptoms, such as tearfulness, decreased appetite, decreased sleep, etc., but these symptoms usually go away after a few weeks or up to a year. A disorder is characterized by severe distress or impairment in functioning. For example, once a loved one passes away, a person may experience sadness for a few days before getting back to their regular routines.

2. Abnormal Emotional Reactions

These are states that make sense during stressful situations, but they are linked to longer-lasting functional damage. We can explain this with the Yerkes-Dodson curve. It suggests that performance efficiency increases up until the anxiety builds, but that functionality reduces if stress levels get above a certain point. Numerous factors, including a. genetics and personality predisposition, may influence this point. 

External elements including the length, intensity, and social support of the stressor. These elements characterize how reactive mood is. These show how mood swings can happen simultaneously with environmental changes. Take adjustment difficulties combined with mood disorders, for instance. These consist of conduct disruption, anxiety, depression, and other emotions.

3. Abnormal Expressions of Emotion

The typical normal reaction differs greatly from emotional expressions. Most people are aware when something is abnormal. Different cultural norms and learning may be the cause of an excessive emotional response. Dissociation of affect, for instance, is the term used to describe the reverse or absence of emotional response. 

It is not the same as apathy, which is emotional detachment that might show itself as a lack of drive. For example, someone who is quite depressed might be grinning. That person loses the emotional component but keeps the communicative smile. In front of his parents, the guy might not be able to open out about his despair. 

4. Morbid Expressions of Emotion

 Although it is obvious to observers, the patient is ignorant of the morbidity in their emotional presentation.  Parathymia, or the burst of affect, is a markedly intense emotional manifestation that is associated with Schizoprenia. An incongruent feeling or emotional misdirection exists. Affect flattening, as in schizophrenia, occurs. The patient has little emotional reactivity in either direction and exhibits emotional restriction.

There is minimal emotional reaction from the patient in any direction.
Labile affect refers to sudden, sharp shifts in mood that are unconnected to outside events. Mania, mixed emotional states (such as dysphoric mania), and organic brain illnesses can all exhibit this.
It may be difficult to control emotions when experiencing the labile effect. Affective incontinence may occur in extreme circumstances. 

 Complete loss of control, which is especially evident in multiple sclerosis and cerebral atherosclerosis.

5.Morbid Disorders of Emotions

These are recognized as pathological states that can occasionally be brought on by stressful situations. These have their own independent momentum and do not resolve themselves when the stressor is removed. It encompasses, for instance, depression.  Emotional, eating, and sleep routines may all be off. Irritability, morbid anxiety, and morbid euphoria are a few other disorders.

Hope you found this blog helpful for your Psychiatric Theory and Specialities Preparation. For more informative and interesting posts like these, keep reading PrepLadder’s blogs.