Chapter 13: From Social Cognition to Affect
1. Deciding what is an emotion and what is not is difficult when emotions are required to have rigid
definitions. Explain how considering emotional prototypes solves this issue?
a) Taking on a prototype view, instead of demanding clear-cut definitions, we think instead of fuzzy
sets of related ideas. When attempting to identify an emotion, then, people look at the various
traits’ degree of fit in different fuzzy sets of emotions. The prototype view is useful when
considering how we identify our emotions.
2. Explain what the James-Lange view and the Cannon view of emotion are. What is the key difference
between these views?
a) The James-Lange view of emotion argues that physiological patterns unique to each emotion
reveal to us what we are feeling. Basically, our physical responses cause our emotions.
b) The Cannon view of emotions argues that physiological arousal is too diffuse to account for all
the different emotions people have. Moreover, this view argues that the autonomic system
responds too slowly to account for the speed of emotional response.
c) The key difference here is that the James-Lange view sees emotion as emerging from
physiological patterns where the Cannon view claims it is not possible for physiological patterns
to account for emotions, given that they surface quickly and have incredible variety.
3. Briefly describe the facial feedback hypothesis. Do you believe this hypothesis is an accurate
characterization of emotional processing? Cite research or trends in research in support of your
conclusion.
a) This hypothesis argues that feedback from facial expressions influences emotional experiences
and behavior. Thus, people’s emotions are especially affected by childhood development and
upbringing: one’s social context influences the facial expressions people have and thereby the
emotions they can feel.
b) The theory is controversial. Though there is some support from embodied cognition for the
hypothesis (e.g., holding a pen in the mouth leading to higher ratings of humor), such support is
limited to differentiating pleasant versus unpleasant experiences and perhaps arousal. Outside of
this, there are many reported failures to replicate feedback findings and small effects across
studies.
4. Describe Zillman’s excitation transfer theory and Schachter and Singer’s theory of emotion. Describe
one similarity and one difference between these two theories.
a) Zillman’s excitation transfer theory argues that arousal influences emotion with or without
people’s conscious knowledge that they are aroused.
b) Schachter and Singer’s theory of emotion argues that emotion results when people label,
interpret, and identify physiological arousal for which they have no immediate other explanation.
