Theory Of Emotions

James Lange
James Lange Theory Of Emotion

Introduction:
Earliest theory of emotion .
American Psychologist
In 1980s James and Lange
Independently propose idea that
challenge common sense about
emotion
Commonsense tells us most of us

•Cry Sad
•Lash Angry,
•Tremble Afraid
Exlpanation

 This idea which came to known as James

Lange theory is that people experience
emotion because they perceive their
bodies psychological response to
external events.

According to this theory people feel sad
because they cry, and likewise they they
feel happy because they smile
Definition:

•
An emotional event occur a
response in the autonomic
nervous system.
• This response
is detected by central nervous
system to produce an
emotional experience.
James-Lange Theory

•
The James-Lange theory of emotion
argues that an event causes
physiological arousal first and then we
interpret this arousal. Only after our
interpretation of the arousal can we
experience emotion.
• If the arousal is
not noticed or is not given any
thought, then we will not experience
any emotion based on this event
James-Lange Theory
EXAMPLE:
•

You are walking down a dark alley late

at night. You hear footsteps behind you
and you begin to tremble, your heart
beats faster, and your breathing
deepens. You notice these
physiological changes and interpret
them as your body's preparation for a
fearful situation. You then experience
fear.
 Critisims

•
James Lange theory was criticized on a large
scale.
o Since the theory inception, scientists have found
evidence that not all aspects of the theory are
relevant and true.
o The theory was criticized by Walter Cannon
and Phillip Bard who theorized that psychological
changes are caused by emotions ,which is
essentially opposite to the James Lange theory
known as Cannon Bard theory of emotion.
o Cannon emphasized that the viscera can be
separated from central nervous system and have
no impact on emotion.
• This contradicts the James Lange theory
because James believed that viscera is the
centre of emotion.

• Cannon examined research performed by

Sherrington who separated the spinal cord
and Vegas nerves from all connection in the
rest of the body, and found that the
experience of emotion did not change, thus
disproving the idea that the viscera has a
major impact on emotion.
Criticism:

•
Cannon bard theory seems to have been
accurate in it rejection of James, Lange
Theory that physiological arousal alone
accounts for emotions.
It is understands that hypothalamus and
limbic system play a major role in emotion
and not the thalamus
Cannon Bard
Theory of
Emotion
Introduction

•
Cannon and later another
psychologist Philip bard
conclude that body arousal
and emotional experiences
occur simultaneously
Definition

•
The Cannon-Bard theory argues
that we experience physiological
arousal and emotional at the same
time, but gives no attention to the
role of thoughts or outward
behaviour
• Event arousal emotions
EXAMPLE:

•
You are walking down a dark alley late at
night. You hear footsteps behind you and
you begin to tremble, your heart beats
faster, and your breathing deepens. At the
same time as these physiological changes
occur you also experience the emotion of
fear
Explenation:

•
The theory assume that emotional states
and the physiological reactions work
independently, but are triggered by the
same nerve impulse simultaneously
cannon and bard viewed that we experience
emotions normally because they believed
emotion occur separately. Forum the body’s
arousal .
Criticism:

•
Cannon bard theory seems to have been
accurate in it rejection of James, Lange
Theory that physiological arousal alone
accounts for emotions.
It is understands that hypothalamus and
limbic system play a major role in emotion
and not the thalamus .
The Scachter Singer Theory
Introduction:

Stanley Schechter and gernel singer (1962)

were the first who focused on the role of
cognition and emphasized that we identify
the emotion we are experiencing by
observing our environment and comparing
ourselves with other .
Definition:

•
According to this theory an event causes
physiological arousal first. You must the
then identify a reason for this arousal
and then you are label to experience and
label the emotion.
• Event arousal reasoning emotions
Example:

•
You are walking down a dark alley late at
night your foot steps behind you and you
begin to tremble , your heart beat faster and
your breathing deepens upon nothing this
arousal you realize that it comes fuel that
you are walking down a dark alley by you
self this behaviour is dangerous and
therefore you feel the emotion of fear.
Two Factor Theory of
Emotions
Introduction:

•
This theory is also known two factor theory
two factor theory of emotions
(Mandler1984) Schechter and singer (1962)
According to them emotions result from the
psychological arousal as well as the
cognitive appraisal ( evolution ) of the
situation.
Definition:

•
Arousal comes first and is general in
nature .according to Stanley Schechter
the experience of emotions is the joint
effect of physiological arousal and
cognitive appraisal as both parts are
necessary for an emotion to occur
For Example

•
If some one is watching the final moments
of a crucial football match then he may
attribute his rapid breathing , racing heart
and perspiration to excitement, but the
same physiological changes may be attribute
to anxiety if individual is waiting for an
important exams to begin.so emotion
depends how we label our reaction .
Attribution :

•
The labelling of arousal depends on an
attribution which is the processes of
identifying the cause of some events .
People may attribute their
physiological arousal to different
emotion. Depending on the available
information , especially about the
situation
Appraisal

•
Our appraisal of a situation contributes to our
emotional experience. If we are in a car that starts to
roll sown a step incline .we experience fear or terror ,
but if we know the car is part of fear will be less or
cmotion will be different quality of emotion would be
determined by the appraisal of situation if they are in
a neural state of autonomic arousal .
Criticism

•
Criticism of this theory has come from attempted
replication of the Schechter and singer(1962)study.
Marshal(1976)fried to replicate the Schechter and
singer euphoria condition just Schechter and singer
did the subjects were injected with epinephrine or a
placebo except the administrator told the subject that
they will be experiencing non arousal symptoms.
Schechter and singer have made easier to follow the
interplay between body and brain.
Conclusion

•
Emotion are such complex phenomenon that no
single theory has been able to explain all facets of
emotional experience completely and satisfactorily
.
for each three major theories , there is
contradictory evidence of one sort of another , and
therefore , no theory has proved invariably
accurate in its prediction .