Chapter 10: Emotion

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the behavioral, autonomic, and hormonal components of an emotional response and the role of the amygdala in controlling them.

2. Discuss the nature, functions, and neural control of aggressive behavior.

3. Discuss the role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in anger, aggression, and impulse control.

4. Discuss cross-cultural studies on the expression and comprehension of emotions.

5. Discuss the neural control of the recognition of emotional expression.

6. Discuss the neural control of emotional expression.

7. Discuss the James-Lange theory of feelings of emotion and evaluate relevant research.

Emotions

Emotions consist of patterns of physiological responses and species-typical behaviors

Three components behavioral autonomic hormonal

Emotions

Behavioral component muscular movements appropriate to the situation

Autonomic responses facilitate the behaviors provide quick mobilization of energy for vigorous

movement.

Hormonal responses reinforce the autonomic responses.

Emotion and the Brain

Pathways Thalamus→Cortex→Amyg

dala Thalamus→Amygdala

Amygdala Part of limbic system Fear response

Emotion and the Brain

Sympathetic Response

Amygdala projects to:

Hypothalamus→Medulla

Hormonal Response

Hypothalamus→pituitary gland

Endocrine system

The Amygdala

Lateral nucleus (LA) Classical Conditioning

Central nucleus (CE) Emotional behaviors and

responses Aversive stimuli

Basal nucleus (BA)

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)

The region of the prefrontal cortex

Plays an inhibitory role in the expression of emotions

Involved in extinction of a conditional emotional response

Damage impairs Behavioral control Moral Decision making

Moral Decision Making

Non-moral

Impersonal “borrow” boat to help

others

Personal Sinking life boat

Phineas Gage

Serotonin (5-HT)

Low levels of 5-HT Aggression Antisocial Behavior

5-HT agonist Fluoxetine (Prozac)

Communication of Emotions

Facial Expressions

Expression of Emotions

Recognition of Emotions

Facial Expressions

Innate responses Species typical, not culturally bound

Adaptive Behavior

Emotional Expression

Verbal and non-verbal cues Tone of voice, word choice, posture, gestures, facial

expressions

Lateralized Right hemisphere

Facial Paresis Volitional: impaired voluntary movement of facial

muscles Emotional: impaired movement of facial muscles in

response to emotion

Emotional Recognition

Verbal and non-verbal cues

Right Hemisphere

Amygdala: fearful faces shows activity before visual cortex

RL

James-Lange Theory of Emotion

The theory that emotions arise from the perception of body changes

Feeling are the result of feedback from the muscles and organs

James-Lange Theory

Sequence perceive a stimulus physiological and

behavioral changes occur

experience a particular emotion

Spinal cord injury

Recall

Facial-Feedback

Feedback from facial muscles

Simulated smile vs. simulated frown