The study of emotion has seen many contesting theories which attempt to explain the processes which the human body or in some cases the animal body, utilize when experiencing emotion.

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HND Social Science

‘C’ Unit

Psychology

Student: Alex Leckie

Lecturer: Jon McDermott

Langside College Glasgow

08/11/02

        The study of emotion has seen many contesting theories which attempt to explain the processes which the human body or in some cases the animal body, utilize when experiencing emotion.  Perhaps one reason for so many different theories is the lack of definitions used to identify what emotion is.

Historically this term has proven utterly refractory to definitional efforts; probably no other term in psychology shares its nondefinability with its frequency of use.” (Reber 1987 p234)

What Reber means by this is that most authors whom frequently use the word make little attempt to define its meaning.  Instead they present theirs or others evidence or theories and hope that a definition will be apparent from the text.

        If psychology claims to be scientific, then to compare and contrast theories we must first ensure the opposing theories are pertinent to an identical subject.  For this reason a clear definition of emotion is a fundamental requirement.

        The word emotion is derived from the Latin emovere which translates as to excite, to agitate, to stir-up or to move.

A combination of events, cognitions, and physiology.  Or similar sentences are frequently used to define emotion when associated with human behaviour.  However, these conditions may be present in an emotional state but do not necessarily produce an emotional state.  All three conditions are present when I need to urinate, generally I do not feel emotional about this unless I am in a situation that does not allow me to urinate.  

        James (1884) took 8,499 words when writing “What is an Emotion?”, rather than adopt James’ definition; we will define emotion as,  

Feelings we experience following an event that generally, have both physiological and cognitive elements, which influence our behaviour.          

        The reason for this definition is that most theories and psychologists accept that emotion involves four factors. These are instigating stimulus (event), Physiological change, Cognitive appraisal and Behavioural change.  The order and reasons for these factors are however contested within different theories.

        The Physiology of Emotion is centered round the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) which consists of two parts.

These include the Parasympathetic division, which is actively involved in maintaining a relaxed, calm, unemotional state (homeostasis), and the Sympathetic division which acts in numerous ways and results in many physiological changes to get the body in a state of readiness for action, some of these changes include; The pupils of eyes to dilate, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, blood may be diverted away from digestive tract toward limbs and brain, respiration increases, perspiration can occur, blood sugar levels may increase, loss of bladder and bowel control may be experienced and blood may clot more readily than usual.

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The autonomic nervous system involves nerves and nerve centers which act rapidly to affect some of the bodies’ internal organs.  

 The Limbic System is most commonly thought to be the area of the brain involved in emotional responses.

The limbic structure was first "identified" by J.W. Papez in 1937. He proposed that the hypothalamus and several other subcortical structures were connected together forming a "circuit" responsible for the control of emotions. Papez's theory was later revised by P. MacLean (1973) his research was based on results of brain damage to these structures and named them the ‘Limbic System’. ...

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