What is an Emotion? (Intro Psych Tutorial #148)

Summary

In this video, Michael Corayer delves into the complexities of emotions, explaining how difficult it is to define them due to their subjective nature. However, by comparing emotions to one another using multi-dimensional scaling, it's possible to map them based on two key dimensions: valence (whether an emotion is positive or negative) and physiological arousal (the bodily response associated with the emotion). By using this approach, emotions can be placed on a graph to better understand their relationships, making it easier to study and measure emotions more objectively.

Takeaways

• 😀 Emotions are difficult to define due to their subjective nature, making it hard to describe them consistently across individuals.
• 😀 Similar to the problems with introspection, emotions are challenging to compare because they are based on personal experiences.
• 😀 Although defining an individual emotion is difficult, we can compare emotions based on certain dimensions.
• 😀 Multi-dimensional scaling is a method used to compare emotions by placing them on a graph based on two dimensions: valence and physiological arousal.
• 😀 Valence refers to whether an emotion is positive or negative and how strongly, helping differentiate between emotions like happiness and sadness.
• 😀 Physiological arousal measures the physical response to emotions, such as heart rate, muscle tension, or sweating.
• 😀 By plotting emotions on a graph with valence and physiological arousal, we can visually compare their intensity and emotional nature.
• 😀 Happiness is typically characterized by positive valence and moderate physiological arousal, while boredom is negative with low arousal.
• 😀 Extreme fear or terror can be associated with high physiological arousal and negative valence, as seen in stressful, life-threatening situations.
• 😀 Excitement involves high physiological arousal but positive valence, as seen in high-energy, joyful events like winning the lottery.
• 😀 This mapping approach allows emotions to be studied in relation to one another, providing a more objective framework for understanding emotional experiences.

Q & A

What is the primary challenge in defining emotions?

The primary challenge in defining emotions is their subjective nature. People experience emotions differently, and their descriptions of these feelings can vary widely, making it hard to compare them objectively.

How does the analogy of comparing cities help explain the study of emotions?

The analogy helps explain that while it may be difficult to define a specific emotion, it's easier to compare emotions to one another. Just like describing New York City in isolation is hard, comparing it to other cities (in terms of distance) helps us pinpoint its location. Similarly, comparing emotions allows us to understand their relative positions on certain dimensions.

What is multi-dimensional scaling in the context of emotions?

Multi-dimensional scaling is an approach used to study emotions by comparing them along two key dimensions: valence (whether the emotion is positive or negative) and physiological arousal (how intense the physical response is). This helps create a map of emotions based on these dimensions.

What does the dimension of 'valence' refer to in emotional studies?

Valence refers to whether an emotion is experienced as positive or negative, and the intensity of that positivity or negativity. For example, happiness is a positive emotion with a high valence, while sadness is negative with low valence.

What is meant by 'physiological arousal' in the study of emotions?

Physiological arousal refers to the physical bodily response that accompanies an emotion. This includes measurable factors like heart rate, skin conductance, breathing rate, and muscle tension. Emotions can vary in their levels of physiological arousal, from calm relaxation to extreme fear.

How can emotions be mapped on a graph using valence and physiological arousal?

Emotions can be plotted on a graph where the x-axis represents valence (from negative to positive) and the y-axis represents physiological arousal (from low to high). Emotions like happiness and excitement will fall in different areas depending on their positive or negative valence and the level of physical arousal associated with them.

What is the key difference between boredom and relaxation based on the dimensions of emotion?

Boredom and relaxation have similar levels of physiological arousal (both are low), but they differ in valence. Boredom is a negative emotion, while relaxation is a positive one.

How can the approach of multi-dimensional scaling help overcome the subjectivity in emotional reports?

By using measurable dimensions like valence and physiological arousal, multi-dimensional scaling allows for more objective comparisons of emotions, reducing the reliance on subjective, variable descriptions of feelings.

What would be an example of an emotion with high physiological arousal and negative valence?

An example of an emotion with high physiological arousal and negative valence is terror or extreme fear. For instance, the fear response when encountering a dangerous animal like a bear or a shark.

Why is it difficult to study emotions based solely on subjective reports?

It is difficult to study emotions based solely on subjective reports because people experience emotions differently, and their descriptions of those experiences are highly personal and varied, making them hard to compare or measure in a standardized way.