Emotion Theories

1. James-Lange

1.1. theory proposing that emotions result from our interpretations of our bodily reactions to stimuli

1.1.1. oldest cognitive theory of emotion created by William James and due to a similar theory by Carl Lange, psychologists refer to it as the James-Lange theory of emotion

1.1.1.1. few scientists believe in this theory but it continues to effect modern-day thinking and future emotion theories

2. Cannon-Bard

2.1. theory proposing that an emotion-provoking event leads simultaneously to an emotion and to bodily reactions

3. Two Factor

3.1. theory proposing that emotions are produced by an undifferentiated state of arousal along with an attribution (explanation) of that arousal

3.1.1. Created by Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer.

3.1.1.1. After encountering an emotion-provoking event, we experience a state of arousal that we try to explain. Once we figure out what is making us aroused, we label it as one of the emotions. This is a quick process that we don't notice.

4. Walter Cannon and Philip Bard who created this theory, also proposed that the thalamus (which is the relay station for the senses), triggers both emotion and bodily reactions

4.1. Cannon and Bard's model of emotion influenced investigators to test emotions in the brain