Psychology : Emotion

Emotion

The psychologist Kulpe defines emotion 'as a fusion of feeling and organic sensations'. The psychologist Hoffding defines it

'as a pleasure pain in association with the idea of its cause'.

According to psychologist Ward,

'it is the complete psychosis involving cognition, pleasure-pain and conation'.

In general emotion

'is a complex, not a simple elementary , mental state'.

The difference between motives and emotions are as follows: Emotions are  usually aroused  by external stimuli and that emotional expression is directed toward the stimuli in the

environment that arouses it.

Motives on the other hand, are more often aroused by internal stimuli and naturally directed towards certain objects in the environment ( eg Food , Water) .

Most motivated behaviour has some affective or emotional accompaniment although we may be too preoccupied in our striving toward the goal.

Motivation is focused on the goal directed activity. Emotion is focused on the subjective, affective experiences that accompany behaviour.

Emotions are expressed by language , facial expressions and gestures.

An emotional state is characterized by

            A more or less pronounced affective tone . Pleasure unpleasure - experienced in connection with some objective or situation.

            A diffuse stimulation of the organic processes, involving pulse, respiration, glandular secretions which is usually called the organic resonance of the emotion but according to theory of the psychologist James Lange , it is identified with emotion itself

            A narrowing and specializing of consciousness, both on the cognitive and on the curative side, the consequence of what we may call emotional disassociation.

            An impulsive force

Physiological Changes in Emotions:

All emotional states affect the activities of the salivary glands. The bodily effects of pain hunger fear and rage have all the emotions of characteristically, negative polarity. In such cases the secretion of saliva is diminished or inhibited.

There is a fair presumption that emotions of an opposite or positive, polarity will produce the opposite effect but practically no experimental evidence.

The emotional disturbances of a negative polarity ( that is disagreeable ) involve disturbance of the digestive functions in all its aspects.

The flow of saliva is diminished or altogether inhibited, and its chemical composition altered . The flow of gastric juices is similarly diminished or inhibited and altered chemically. The negative moments then tend to cease.

This fact suggested to psychologist Cannon, the possibility that emotional excitement might involve an increased secretion of adenines and that this adenine in the blood might have the effect of prolonging the inhibition of the activity of the digestive glands after the emotional excitement itself had disappeared .

By testing the blood for adenine after a period of time for the quantity of adenine in the blood, it is greatly increased as a result of strong emotion.

Most of the physiological changes that occur during intense emotion, result from activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system as it prepares the body for emergency action.

The sympathetic system is responsible for the following changes.

            Blood pressure and heart rate increase

            Respiration becomes more rapid

            The pupils of the eye dilate.

            Electrical resistance of the skin decreases.

            Blood sugar level increases to provide more energy

            The blood begins to clot more quickly in the case of wounds

            Mobility of the gastro intestinal tract decreases or stops entirely. Blood is diverted from the stomach and intestines and are sent to the brain and skeletal muscles.

            The hairs on the skin erect causing 'Goose pimples. In emotion the sympathetic system also causes epinephrine (adrenaline) and non- epinephrine (non adrenaline). Nerve impulses with sympathetic system, which reach adrenal glands located on the top of the kidneys, trigger the secretion of hormones. They then get into the blood and circulate around the body.