Lecture 4 Debates

Question 1

The fact that beta blockers decrease feelings of anxiousness potential proves what view, which is posited by who?

Answer 1

Supports the peripheralist view, which Schachter and James-Lange pushed for.

Question 2

What’s the alternative hypothesis to beta blockers?

Answer 2

The beta blocker doesn’t reduce fear, it just reduces your bodily reactions.

If you’ve practiced your speech, you’ll be prepared, but your bodily reactions make you more scared.

Question 3

Did you feel nervous? Why did Harris not want to answer that question?

Answer 3

The beta blocker did not help. It showed that she felt unprepared. She was still nervous because she thought she was unprepared. The beta blocker only helps with bodily reactions NOT the actual fear itself.

Question 4

Schwartz was trying to test what hypothesis with the imaginary emotion test? How did he test it?

Answer 4

He was testing whether there is specificity of arousal for different emotions. He had participants imagine a time when they were happy, angry, sad, or fearful. Also exercised as control.

DVs: heart rate, blood pressure.

Question 5

What were the results of Schwartz’s imaginary emotion test?

Answer 5

Different emotions lead to different SNS patterns, with only subtle differences.

Question 6

What’s one hypothesis for why Schwartz found that people experienced different SNS patterns in his imaginary emotions test?

Answer 6

Ancestors benefitted from anger and fear.

• Different evolutionary functions lead to different SNS patterns.
• Differences in autonomic arousal is preparing you for different types of behavior for different emotions.
• For anger, you need muscle strength.
• For fear, you need speed and endurance.
• This happens with actual threats.
• Not a proven hypothesis.

Question 7

Nummenmaa’s colorful emotional expressions study potentially proves what hypothesis?

Answer 7

That there is specificity of arousal for different emotions.

Question 8

What was the procedure for Nummenmaa’s colorful emotional expressions study?

Answer 8

Participants were shown words, stories, movies, or facial expressions. Asked to color in different regions of the body to express how they felt.

Question 9

What were the results of Nummenmaa’s colorful emotional expressions study?

Answer 9

Across three different cultures, some answers were consistent, on what happens in the body during different emotional states

Question 10

Is arousal necessary for emotion?

Answer 10

No, but, it may intensify it.

Question 11

Do emotions have different patterns of arousal?

Answer 11

Some do, though not as distinct as James had imagined.