Emotions

By: Sahina Afrin

Introduction


Emotions are intense feelings that are directed at someone or something. Emotions are reactions to a person or event. You basically show your emotions when you are happy about something, angry at someone, afraid of something. Usually emotions exhibit the following characteristics: 1. Caused by a specific event. 2. Very brief in duration (secs/ mins) 3. Specific and numerous in nature. ( many specific emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, happiness, disgust, surprise) 4. Usually accompanied by distinct facial expressions. 5. Action oriented in nature.

8 July 2011

DSB: Workshop on Organizational Behaviour

Definition


Emotion is basically defined as subjective feelings accompanied by physiological changes and usually associated with the change in perception, thinking and behavior. Tone and characteristics of the voice are also the channel for the expression of emotions and the perception of emotion by others. Facial expressions are the most important non-verbal way in which emotions are nonmanifested.

8 July 2011

DSB: Workshop on Organizational Behaviour

Theories of Emotion James Lange Theory



It is one of the earliest theory of emotion developed by William James which says felt emotion occur of the bodily changes. This theory says that our subjective emotional experiences are actually the result of our relatively automatic physiological reactions to various events. It rays when you see a lion you begin to shiver/ tremble then experience fear/afraid. Eg.: We feel afraid because we tremble/shiver.

8 July 2011

DSB: Workshop on Organizational Behaviour

CannonCannon- Bard Theory



The theory was proposed by Walter Cannon, which says felt emotion and bodily reaction are quite independent of each other. This theory says that when we are composed to emotion processing or eliciting events, we richly experience both physiological signs of emotion and subjective empersonace lable as fear, anger, song and so on. Eg.: A tragic event always makes me cry and sad.

8 July 2011

DSB: Workshop on Organizational Behaviour

Schachter Singer Theory



This theory says that bodily changes are much the same for many of the emotion. We feel but there are differences in the bodily pattern of response because of the difference in the way they interpret or label the physiological state.

8 July 2011

DSB: Workshop on Organizational Behaviour

Cognitive Theory


This theory was developed by Richard Lazarus (1984) and his co-workers. coThe theory says that the emotion we feel result from appraisals or evaluation of information coming from the environmental situations and from the situation.

8 July 2011

DSB: Workshop on Organizational Behaviour