AFFECTIVE

NEUROSCIENCE
APPROACH
AFFECTIVE AFFECTIVE: SUGGESTS AFFECT/ EMOTION

NEUROSCIENCE
APPROACH STUDIES THE UNDERLYING
NEURAL BASES OF MOOD
AND EMOTION BY FOCUSING
ON THE BRAIN’S NEURAL
NEUROSCIENCE: SUGGESTS CIRCUITS THAT EVALUATE
RESEARCH METHODS THAT
INVOLVE STUDYING
STIMULI AND PRODUCE OR
PATIENTS WITH CONTRIBUTE TO
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
AND USING METHODS THAT EXPERIENCING AND
INVOLVE BRAIN SCANS/
IMAGING TO IDENTIFY EXPRESSING DIFFERENT
NEURAL ACTIVITY IN THE
LIVING BRAIN
EMOTIONAL STATES
FOUR QUALITIES OF EMOTION
1 BEING FELT AND EXPRESSED
IN STEREOTYPICAL FACIAL
EXPRESSIONS.
ACCOMPANIED BY
DISTINCTIVE PHYSIOLOGICAL
2 EMOTIONS ARE LESS
CONTROLLABLE THAN WE MIGHT
LIKE AND MAY NOT RESPOND TO
RESPONSES. REASON.

3 EMOTIONS HAVE
AN ENORMOUS

4
INFLUENCE
ON MANY SOME EMOTIONS ARE
COGNITIVE HARD WIRED IN THE
PROCESSES. BRAIN.
 BEING FELT AND EXPRESSED IN

1 STEREOTYPICAL FACIAL
EXPRESSIONS. ACCOMPANIED BY
DISTINCTIVE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS: EMOTION AND FACIAL EXAMPLES:

EXPRESSIONS ARE UNIVERSALLY FOCUS OF THE EYES,
UNDERSTOOD AND BIOLOGICALLY INNATE= MOVEMENT OF LIPS AND
WE USE 43 FACIAL MUSCLES AT EACH MOUTH, WRINKLING OF
MOMENT, CONSCIOUS OR NOT. THE NOSE, MOVEMENT
OF EYELIDS

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES: EVERY EMOTION EXAMPLES:

PRODUCES DIFFERENT PHYSIOLOGICAL HEART RATE, MUSCULAR
RESPONSES WHICH INCLUDE, CHANGES IN TENSION, SKIN
PATTERNS AND BRAIN ACTIVATION, TEMPERATURE,
NEUROTRANSMITTER PRODUCTION, & SWEATING, BREATHING
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM.
*Dr Paul Ekman has spent 50 years studying facial micro expressions of people around the world
Picture one: Dr Paul Ekman’s findings
Picture two: Bodily topography of basic and non basic emotions, cooler to warmer means decreased to increased activity of body
areas/parts.
FEAR >FACIAL EXPRESSION
=OPEN MOUTH, RAISED EYEBROW

>PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE
=FAST HEART RATE, QUICK SHALLOW BREATHING,
SWEATY PALMS

>POSTURE
=HEAD BACKWARD, NO ABDOMINAL TWIST, ARMS
RAISED FOREWARD, SHOULDERS FORWARD

>ARM MOVEMENT
=ARMS STRETCHED SIDEWAYS

*ACCORDING TO THE ACII-HANDBOOK-GESTURES:

EXPRESSING EMOTIONS THROUGH POSTURE AND
GESTURE
2 EMOTIONS ARE LESS CONTROLLABLE
THAN WE MIGHT LIKE AND MAY NOT
RESPOND TO REASON.
MODERN DUAL SYSTEMS MODELS OF JUDGEMENT AND DECISION
MAKING ARE PLATONIC ( PLATO DESCRIBED EMOTION AND REASON
AS TWO HORSES PULLING US IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS) IN THE
SENSE THAT THEY ENDORSE THE ANTAGONISM BETWEEN REASON
AND EMOTION.

EXAMPLE:
ADVISING SOMEONE TO “CALM DOWN” OR “CONTROL YOUR
TEMPER” MAY HAVE LITTLE EFFECT.
=PEOPLE MAY NEED TO ATTEND ANGER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
TO HELP THEM GAIN RATIONAL SELF CONTROL.
ANTONIO DAMASIO’S THEORY-
WHEN FACED WITH RATIONAL DECISIONS THAT
INVOLVE CONFLICTING ALTERNATIVES, WE USUALLY
DECIDE BY WEIGHING UP THE OPTIONS, AND
DECIDING WHICH IS MOST BENEFICIAL, BUT WHEN IT
IS UNCLEAR, OUR POWERS OF REASON ARE
INSUFFICIENT IN COMING TO A DECISION, THUS OUR
EMOTIONS TAKE OVER

SOMATIC MARKER HYPOTHESIS

DAMASIO’S THEORY CENTERS AROUND SOMATIC MARKERS IN THE BRAIN WHICH

OVERRIDE OUR PROCESSES OF REASONING, AND POINT OUT THE WAY. THESE
MARKERS ARE CHEMICAL RECORDS OF PREVIOUS EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES, AND ARE
STORED IN THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX. WE ACCESS THEM CONSCIOUSLY OR
UNCONSCIOUSLY, AND BY MATCHING THEM TO THE SITUATION, WE WORK OUT WHICH
IS THE BEST CHOICE TO MAKE. OUR EMOTIONAL RESPONSE THEREFORE, BECOMES THE
BASIS FOR OUR RATIONAL CHOICE.
3 EMOTIONS HAVE AN ENORMOUS
INFLUENCE ON MANY COGNITIVE
PROCESSES.
COGNITIVE PROCESSES: MAKING DECISIONS, DEVELOPING
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND SELECTING GOALS.

THE PRESENCE OF 2 BRAINS:

> OLDER PRIMITIVE/ ANIMAL BRAIN =
LIMBIC SYSTEM
> NEWER FOREBRAIN
LIMBIC SYSTEM NEWER FOREBRAIN

>SET OF BRAIN STRUCTURES >LIMBIC SYSTEM &

LOCATED ON BOTH SIDES OF NEOCORTEX
THE THALAMUS, BENEATH THE -INFLUENCES BUT DOES NOT
CEREBRUM. CONTROL THE LIMBIC SYSTEM,
-FUNCTIONS: EMOTION,
BEHAVIOR, MOTIVATION, LONG WHAT DOES IT MEAN? SOME
TERM MEMORY, OLFACTION EXAMPLES….

> HIGHLY EDUCATED

POLITICIANS, HAVE GOTTEN IN
TROUBLE FOR ILLICIT SEXUAL
ACTIVITIES
> EMOTIONALLY IMMATURE
STUDENTS, WHO KNEW
BETTER, DID BADLY ON THEIR
FIRST YEAR.
4 SOME EMOTIONS ARE
HARD WIRED IN THE
BRAIN.
IN 1872, CHARLES DARWIN WROTE THE BOOK
“ THE EXPRESSIONS OF EMOTIONS IN MAN AND ANIMALS”
DARWIN EXPLORED VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS OF EMOTIONS AND
CONCLUDED THAT SOME WERE INNATE AND UNIVERSAL. HE
MADE THE CASE THAT THESE UNIVERSAL EXPRESSIONS OF
EMOTIONS WERE PRESENT IN HOMO SAPIENS AND EVOLVED
FROM ANIMALS.

THIS IS THE REASON WHY BABIES DON’T HAVE TO LEARN TO

CRY, GAIN ATTENTION, EXPRESS BASIC NEEDS, OR LEARN HOW
TO SMILE TO SHOW HAPPINESS AND FORM SOCIAL BONDS
WITH THEIR PARENTS AND CARETAKERS.
THE AMYGDALA
LOCATED IN THE TIP OF THE BRAIN’S
TEMPORAL LOBE.
THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF AN ALMOND

>USING SENSORY INPUT FROM ALL SENSES

IT MONITORS AND EVALUATES WHETHER
STIMULI HAVE POSITIVE (HAPPY) OR NEGATIVE
(FEARFUL) EMOTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

>THIS IS FOR OUR WELL-BEING AND SURVIVAL. IT IS ALSO

INVOLVED IN STORING MEMORIES THAT HAVE EMOTIONAL
CONTENT
DETECTING STIMULI: COMPARED TO DETECTING UNEMOTIONAL,
NEUTRAL TARGETS, WE ARE FASTER AT DETECTING EMOTIONAL
STIMULI THAT MAY BE A THREAT

SNAKES: AN FLOWERS: AN
EXAMPLE OF A EXAMPLE OF
THREAT UNEMOTIONAL
NEUTRAL
TARGETS

EMOTIONAL DETECTOR: OUR BRAIN HAVE

EVOLVED THE ABILITY TO QUICKLY RECOGNIZE
DANGEROUS THINGS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND
THUS INCREASE OUR CHANCES FOR SURVIVAL.
FURTHER SUPPORT FOR THIS
IDEA COMES FROM SCANNING
OR IMAGING STUDIES THAT
POINT TO AN EMOTIONAL
DETECTOR IN THE BRAIN

THE AMYGDALA IS LIKE A

GUARD DOG THAT IS
CONSTANTLY SNIFFING FOR
THREATS, AND THIS GIVES
US AN EVOLUTIONARY BRAIN SCANS INDICATE THAT THE
AMYGDALA IS ESPECIALLY ACTIVATED
ADVANTAGE IN TERMS OF WHEN WE VIEW EMOTIONAL FACIAL
SURVIVAL. - LE DOUX(2003) EXPRESSIONS INDICATING FEAR OR
DISTRESS
HOW TO IDENTIFY IF YOUR
AMYGDALA IS DAMAGED

-LOOK FOR EMOTIONAL CUES:

PEOPLE WITH DAMAGED
AMYGDALAS IDENTIFY ALL
FACES AS BEING MORE
TRUSTWORTHY AND
APPROACHABLE THAN MOST BRAIN SCANS OF A DAMAGED AMYGDALA
PEOPLE DO.

-IN ANIMALS: THEY CAN NO WHAT IF A PERSON HAS NO AMYGDALA?

LONGER LEARN TO FEAR AND
AVOID DANGEROUS A PERSON WITH NO AMYGDALA
SITUATIONS DEMONSTRATES NO FEAR OF
FRIGHTENING STIMULI AND REPEATEDLY
PLACES HIS LIFE IN GREAT RISK
BRAIN CIRCUITS FOR EMOTIONS
2) THE THALAMUS
RELAYS THE NEURAL
3) THE VISUAL CORTEX INFO TO THE VISUAL
TRANSFORMS THE SLOW CIRCUIT CORTEX
NEURAL SIGNALS INTO A SEQUENCE OF NEURAL
THE IMAGE OF A ACTIVITY WHEN YOU
FEROCIOUS WOLF AND SEE A WOLF ( HAPPENS IN
REPLAYS THIS INFO TO 0.12 SEC) 5) PREFRONTAL
THE AMYGDALA CORTEX***

4) THE AMYGDALA *WHEN YOU SEE A WOLF.

INTERPRETS THE VISUAL INFO ABOUT IT’S
NEURAL INFO AND SIZE, SHAPE AND COLOR
SIGNALS THE PRESENCE GO INTO YOUR EYES.
OF A THREAT, WHICH 1) NEURAL INFO ON
RESULTS IN THE FEELING THE “WOLF” IS SENT
OF FEAR, CAUSING YOU TO THE THALAMUS
TO RUN AND SCREAM.
FASTER CIRCUIT 2) THE THALAMUS
SENDS NEURAL INFO
AN EVEN FASTER CIRCUIT
DIRECTLY TO THE
FOR IDENTIFYING
AMYGDALA
THREATENING STIMULI.
(SKIPPING THE VISUAL
TRIGGERS A RESPONSE
CORTEX)
ALMOST INSTANTLY
3) THE AMYGDALA AFTER SEEING THE WOLF
RECOGNIZES THE
THREATENING WOLF AND
TRIGGERS A FEARFUL
*WHEN YOU SEE A WOLF.
RESPONSE.
VISUAL INFO ABOUT IT’S
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF
SIZE, SHAPE AND COLOR
AN EMOTION OCCURRING
GO INTO YOUR EYES.
WITHOUT ANY
AWARENESS OR
1) NEURAL INFO ON
CONSCIOUS THOUGHT
THE “WOLF” IS SENT
TO THE THALAMUS
RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THAT THE FASTER CIRCUIT EVOLVED BECAUSE OF
ITS AMAZINGLY QUICK WARNING OF A THREAT GREATLY IMPROVES OUR
CHANCES OF AVOIDING AND SURVIVING DANGEROUS STIMULI

5) THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX

-MAKING DECISIONS, PLANNING, AND REASONING
-REMEMBERING AND EXPERIENCING EMOTIONS EVEN
WHEN THE FEAR OBJECT IS NOT PRESENT
-ANTICIPATING & ANALYZING THE EMOTIONAL
CONSEQUENCES, POTENTIAL REWARDS, AND
PUNISHMENTS OF PERFORMING CERTAIN BEHAVIORS

FAULTY FUNCTIONING:
-CAN BE CAUSED DUE TO UNDERDEVELOPED
CONNECTIONS OR CIRCUITS
-MAY RESULT IN LESS RATIONAL CONTROL OF EMOTIONS,
WHICH IN TURN INCREASES THE RISK FOR COMMITTING
IMPULSIVE ACTS OF VIOLENCE OR AGGRESSION
REMEMBERING AND ANTICIPATING &
EXPERIENCING ANALYZING THE
EMOTIONS EVEN WHEN EMOTIONAL
THE FEAR OBJECT IS CONSEQUENCES,
NOT PRESENT POTENTIAL REWARDS,
AND PUNISHMENTS OF
EXAMPLES: PERFORMING CERTAIN
-WHEN YOU TELL A BEHAVIORS
FRIEND ABOUT YOUR
WOLF ENCOUNTER AND EXAMPLES:
AGAIN FEEL THE FEAR DECIDING TO GO TO A
-RECALLING A JOKE AND PARTY OR STUDYING FOR
LAUGHING AN EXAM. YOU DECIDE TO
GO AND ENJOY THE
PARTY, AND LIVE WITH
THE POTENTIAL
DISAPPOINTMENT AND
HAPPINESS OF FAILING
THE QUIZ
FEAR AND THE AMYGDALA

WHY DO SOME OF US HAVE MORE FEARS?

IN A RESEARCH…..
-PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL PHOBIAS AND HEALTHY
PEOPLE WERE SHOWN COLORFUL PHOTOS OF
FACES (HAPPY, ANGRY, CONTEMPTUOUS & FEARFUL)
- RESEARCHERS RECORDED THEIR NEURAL ACTIVITY
USING BRAIN SCANS (fMRIs)

RESULTS:
-WHEN PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL PHOBIAS LOOKED AT
PHOTOS OF ANGRY AND CONTEMPTUOUS FACES,
THERE WAS INCREASED ACTIVITY IN THE LEFT
AMYGDALA COMPARED TO THE ACTIVITY IN
HEALTHY PEOPLE
IN CONCLUSION:

THE AMYGDALA OF SOCIAL PHOBICS IS

PARTICULARLY ACTIVE WHEN PROCESSING ANGRY
AND CONTEMPTUOUS FACES

THIS STUDY IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN AFFECTIVE

NEURO-SCIENCE APPROACH

PHOBIAS AND OTHER ANXIETIES ARE BELIEVED TO

RESULT FROM THERE BEING MORE NEURAL
CONNECTIONS RUNNING FROM THE AMYGDALA TO
THE CORTEX, THAN FROM THE CORTEX TO THE
AMYGDALA.

THIS EXPLAINS WHY OUR ANXIETIES OFTEN CONTROL

OUR THOUGHTS AND WHY OUR THOUGHTS CANNOT
ALWAYS LOWER OUR ANXIETIES
THANK
YOU FOR
LISTENING