Question

MCAT Psychology Tutorial: Emotion

Answer 1

\({\bf{Emotion:}}\) the physiogical, behavioral, and cognitive aspects of one's response to a particular situation

Dr. Paul Ekman - studied the expression of emotions across cultures and defined seven basic human emotions : joy, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, surprise, contempt (fun fact this is where the emotions from Pixar's Inside Out come from)

- physiology: physical changes like changes in heart rate/respiration, temperature, pupil dilation, etc.
- behavior: changes in facial expressions or general attitude/treatment of oneself or others
- cognitive: the thought processes and analysis of the situation surrounding the emotion

\({\bf{Emotion~and~Evolution:}}\) emotion may have come about as a way to promote pro-social behavior and punish anti-social behavior; ex: anger towards a non-cooperative individuals and happiness towards cooperative individuals, parental love for a child, etc.

\({\bf{Three~Theories:}}\)
- James-Lange: emotion only occurs after physical response
- Canon-Bard: emotion occurs as a result of activity in the brain, not as a response to a physical change
- Schachter-Singer: emotions occur after one cognitively processes the situation regarding the emotional response

\({\bf{Biological~Factors:}}\)

- the limbic system: amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, basal nuclei, olfactory bulbs
> connects memory and emotion, ex. memories can be associated with smells (olfactory bulbs)
> possible that the amygdala may play a role in certain disorders like autism where one may not be able to make the appropriate emotional response to a stimulus

- prefrontal cortex: can exert slower, longer term influence over one's general emotional response to stressors

- autonomic nervous system: emotions that activate the amygdala can go onto influence the ANS/PNS
> ex: positive emotions can lead to physical changes like dilation or hormonal changes

- physical changes: seeing physical changes in others can elicit similar responses in one's own body
> may have helped humans develop empathy

Answer 2

Anyway, that's the end of my tutorial, I hope it was a helpful resource. Source material is the 2nd Edition Barron's Prep book for the new MCAT