Social Psychology - Notes for Lesson 6

CH 6: Emotion      Characterizing Emotion o Emotion  A brief specific response, both psychological and physiological, that helps people meet goals, including social goals. o Short Duration  Facial expression 1-5 seconds  Physical Response (seconds or minutes) o Specific  Response to specific people or events o Functional  Interpreting our environment  Action orienting Emotional expression: Evolutionary vs. Cultural Approach o Evolutionary approach  Emotions are behavioral adaptations that promote survival and reproduction.  Physiological responses to emotions (facial expressions, heart rate, breathing, vocalizations, and so on) should be cross-culturally universal. o Cultural approach  Emotions are influenced by views of self, social values, and social roles, which vary from culture to culture.  Emotions should be expressed in different ways in different cultures. o Both  Emotional expressions appear to be innate or universal, but cultures might differ in emotional preferences and display rules. Darwin and Emotional Expression o Principle of serviceable associated habits  Emotions derive from motivation and displays that were evolutionarily advantageous for our ancestors. o Darwin’s Universality Hypothesis  Emotional expressions are universal (biologically innate)  All humans have the same facial muscles.  Shared evolutionary history with other mammals.  Blind individuals, lacking the rich visual input a culture provides related to how to display emotions, will still show expressions similar to those of sighted people. The Universality of facial expression o Facial expressions are recognized cross-culturally.  Culture never exposed to the west or western media (e.g., the Fore of Papua New Guinea) can accurately identify the 6 universal emotions to the right.  U.S. college student accurately identified facial expressions shown by the Fore. Cultural specificity of emotional expression: Focal Emotion o Focal emotions  Emotions that are especially common within a particular culture  Societies with a culture of honor may express more anger at insults.      Cultural specificity of emotional expression: Ideal Emotions o Culture and Ideal emotions  Affect valuation theory.  Emotions that promote important cultural ideals are valued most. Cultural specificity of emotional expression: Display rules o Culture and display rules.  Display rule.  A culturally specific rule that governs how, when, and to whom people express emotion. o Ekman & Friesen, 1969  Participants viewed stress inducing videos.  Some viewed alone or in the presence of the experimenter.  American participants displayed negative emotions regardless of the experimenter presence.  Japanese displayed fewer negative emotions when in the presence of the experimenter. Emotions and Social Relationships o Emotions are like a nonverbal language we use to carry out our social interactions.  Case studies:  Brain damage  Alexithymia Promoting Commitment o Emotions promote commitment in 2 ways.  The expression of emotions signals our commitment.  Emotions can motivate us to prioritize the welfare of others. o Oxytocin (produced by the hypothalamus) linked to relational commitment.  Montane vole studies: oxytocin promotes commitment (pair bonding) the preference for one mate over desirable alternative.  Human studies oxytocin promotes.  A focus on other emotions (AKA theory of mind)  Constructive conflict resolution Communicating Emotion though Touch o With a deftly paced touch, we can encourage people or dissuade them from inappropriate behavior.  The right kind of touch can prompt people to act in a collaborative fashion.