Unit-2

Emotion &
Stress
Emotion- Introduction
• Emotion occupies a place of great importance in human life because
they make life infinitely varied, thrilling and beautiful.
• Life without emotions will be dull and monotonous as that of a
machine. But this is only one side of the coin.
• Emotions can be integrating as well as disintegrating.
• Negative emotions like anger, anxiety affects both our physical and
mental health particularly they lead to bodily disorders known as
psychosomatic disorders ranging from common cold to cancer.
• The word emotion was derived from Latin word ‘emovere’, which
means ‘to move’.
Definition
• ‘Drewer‘- Emotions are stirred up condition of organisms involved in
internal and external changes of the body’.
• ‘Atkinson,’- Emotion is the aroused state of the organism involving
cognitive, visceral and behavioral change’ .
Basic Emotions
• Robert Plutchik (2003) has identified eight primary emotions.
• These are fear, surprise, sadness, disgust, anger, anticipation, joy and
trust.
• These emotions can be mixed to yield utter complex emotions.
• For example, 5 year old Peter feels both joy and fear as he eats a
stolen cookie and the result is guilt feeling.
Physiology of Emotion
• We have to see the physiological changes of emotion because
emotion is defined as the aroused state.
• The aroused state refers to physiological arousal like increase in
heartbeat, blood pressure, respiration etc.,
• Arousal reactions are also called autonomic reaction because they are
under control of autonomous nervous system.
• Physiological reaction can be studied under described as follows.
• Changes in circulatory system • Glandular changes
• Gastro intestinal changes • Changes in muscles
• Excretory system changes • Other changes
• Respiratory changes
Physiology of Emotion
• Changes in circulatory system:
• The heartbeats faster and it is known as tachycardia.
• The blood vessels constrict and so blood pressure increases.
• Blood flows more to brain, lungs, muscles and body surface.
• Blood flow decreases to internal organs particularly digestive system.
• Changes in blood composition like blood sugar level, PH value
changes, and hormone changes.
• Sometimes the parasympathetic system dominates and results in the
reduced heartbeat, blood pressure and even to stand still.
Physiology of Emotion
• Gastro intestinal changes:
1. As the blood flow to digestive system reduces, the movement of stomach
and intestine also reduces.
2. The flow of digestive enzymes decrease from pancreas.
3. Salivation is reduced or stopped which results in dryness of mouth.
4. Some develop mild diarrhea.
Physiology of Emotion
• Excretory system changes:
1. The colon and the bladder do not empty easily and constipation may result.
2. When parasympathetic system dominates, immediate defecation and
urination occurs.
• Respiratory changes:
• Emotions lead to gasping, catching of breath, panting, labored breathing etc.,
• Glandular changes:
1. Important changes take place in pituitary glands, which secrete more ACTH.
2. ACTH in turn stimulates the adrenalin gland to secrete more adrenalin.
3. Sweat glands become more active
4. Tear glands also become more active.
5. Salivation may increase or decrease.
Physiology of Emotion
• Changes in muscles:
1. Muscle tones is increased
2. Tremor may also occur.
• Other changes:
1. Pupils of eyes dilate and visual activity increases.
2. Pilomotor or goosepimply occurs as muscle of hair follicle contract, hairs
erect.
3. Electrical resistance of the skin changes-GSR- Galvanic Skin Respiration
4. There are also changes in brain waves or EEG.
5. Changes occur in eye blinking.
6. Because of changes in blood flow in face flush in anger, blush in shyness,
pale in fear
Theories
• To explain the emotion we have many theories and the following are
some important theories of emotion.
• James-Lange theory
• Cannon-Bard theory
• Schachter-Singer two factor theory
• Cognitive Appraisal theory - Lazarus
• Opponent process theory- Solomon
• Facial Feedback Hypothesis- Izard
• Evolutionary theory of emotion- Charles Darwin
Theories
• James-Lange theory:
• The first theory of emotion was proposed by US psychologist William
James (Functionalism).
• At the same era, James Lange proposed the same theory and so the
theory became ‘James-Lange theory’.
• Whenever we become emotional, emotional behavior (Increase in
heartbeat, Blood pressure, trembling) and emotional experience(fear)
occurs simultaneously. In contrast James Lange theory proposed that
in emotion, ‘emotional behavior comes first and emotional experience
is the result of that behavior’.
• James said ‘we are afraid because we run’.
Theories
• James-Lange theory:
• Stimulus or event→ emotional behavior→ emotional experience.
• For example, in ‘near miss’ accidents we apply the brakes first
(behavior) without thinking then after the danger has passed we
develop fear (experience)ss.
• Later theory was rejected because most of the time we have emotional
behavior and experience simultaneously
Theories
• Cannon-Bard theory:
• American physiologist Walter. B. Cannon criticized the James Lange
theory and he proposed his theory.
• Philip Bard provided experimental evidence so it has become Cannon-
Bard theory.
• This theory is also known as “thalamic theory” of emotion because it
emphasizes the role of thalamus in emotion.
• According to this theory stimulus or event activates the thalamus.
• From the thalamus the emotional behavior and emotional experience
arises at same time.
Theories
• Cannon-Bard theory:
• Stimulus-→Activates thalamus-→emotional behavior + emotional experience.
• Later this theory was also rejected because it has been found that
hypothalamus is actually involved in emotion and not thalamus.
Theories
• Schachter-Singer two factor theory:
• This theory was proposed by Schachter with his colleague Singer he
conducted an experiment to support his theory.
• According to this theory emotion have two factors,
• Physical arousal
• Cognitive interpretation or appraisal or perception.
• Schatter and Singer conducted experiments with humans as subjects.
• All the subjects received adrenalin injection, which produced
physiological reaction like high BP, increased heartbeat etc.,
• Subjects were divided into two groups.
Theories
• Schachter-Singer two factor theory:
• One group had a jovial experimenter and subjects in this group
experienced happy emotion.
• Another group had an aggressive experimenter and subjects
experienced fear emotion.
• Physiological arousals were same for all the subjects but emotions
they experienced depend upon cognitive appraisal or perception.
• Stimulus → physiological arousal+ cognitive appraisal or perception.
(this decides emotion)
Theories
• Cognitive Appraisal theory - Lazarus
• Unlike the two factor theory, the cognitive appraisal theory downplays
to the role of physiological arousal.
• Theory assumes that our emotions depend upon only the cognitive
appraisal or perception or interpretation.
• As an example consider the different appraisal that students make
when they are told that there is going to be a “spot quiz”.
• An unprepared student may evaluate the news as a threat and may
therefore experience fear emotion.
• A prepared student may evaluate the news as a challenge and may
experience interest and excitement.
Stimulus → Cognitive appraisal→ Decides Emotion
Theories
• Opponent process theory- Solomon:
• It has been found that when we experience a strong emotional
reaction it is soon followed by the opposite reaction.
• For ex, anger is followed by calm experience. This relationship is
mainly focused in opponent process theory.
• Theory has 2 basics assumptions
• Emotional reaction to a stimulus is followed by automatically by an opposite
reaction &
• Repeated exposure to a stimulus causes the initial reaction or emotion to
weaken and the opposite emotional reaction (calm) begins to strengthen.
Theories
• Facial Feedback Hypothesis- Izard:
• Psychologist Carrol Izard was the first to suggest that face does affect
emotion.
• His hypothesis states that sensations from facial expressions
(contraction of facial muscles) helps to define what emotion a person
feels.
• Paul Ekmann takes the idea one step further and in one study the
subjects have to assume an expression and then hold it for 10 seconds
while the researchers measured changes their heart rate and finger
temperatures.
Theories
• Facial Feedback Hypothesis- Izard:
• When they made a fearful expression, their heart rate increased and
finger temperature was steady.
• When making an anger expression, both heart rate and finger
temperature increased.
• It appears that not only do emotions influence expressions, but
expressions ( contraction of facial muscles ) also influence emotion
(feeling) as shown here: Muscle Emotion
Forehead Surprise
Brow Anger
Mouth (down) Sadness
Mouth (smile) Joy
Theories
• Evolutionary theory of emotion- Charles Darwin:
• Are emotional expressions a carry over from human evolution? Charles
Darwin thought so.
• In his book “ The Expression of Emotions In Man and Animals” he
argues that emotions developed because of their adaptive value.
• Fear, for instance, would help an organism avoid danger and thus
would aid in survival.
• Thus Darwin viewed human emotions as a product of evolution.
Expression and Impact
• Emotions are a private affair yet we are able to recognize the presence
of various emotions to others, this is because people express their
emotion through non-verbal cues such as
• Facial Expression
• Eye contact
• Body language
Expression and Impact
• Facial Expression:
• “Face is the index of the mind”.
• It means that emotions are often reflected in the face and it can be
recognized from the facial expression.
• It is possible to learn much about others feelings from their facial
expression.
• Six basic emotions are represented clearly on human face- anger,
sadness, surprise, fear, disgust, and joy.
• This in no way implies that we are capable of only six different facial
expressions. Emotion occurs in many combinations, for e.g. surprise
with happiness.
Expression and Impact
• Eye contact:
• Few seconds of eye contact can transmit meaning that might require
100’s of words if spoken.
• Making note of this importance, ancient poets described the eye as
‘windows to the soul’.
• Eyes express dominance, involvement, and attitude towards others.
• Submissive and shy people lower the eyes to avoid the eye contact.
• Dominant people look straight into eyes and disinterested people do
not look at others.
Expression and Impact
• Eye contact:
• We refuse to see the angry eyes and lovers look at each other.
• Staring is a form of eye contact in which a person continues to gaze
steadily at another person regardless of what other person does.
Expression and Impact
• Body language:
• It is also known as “Kinesics”.
• This field studies how we communicate message and emotion through
body movements and posture.
• It includes gestures, head nods etc
Stress
• The present age is called as the “age of stress and anxiety”. One has to
experience stress from the ‘womb to tomb’.
• According to Hans Selye, father of stress research, ‘the escape from
stress is only death’.
• Originally the concept of stress was in the field of engineering, and it
was introduced into the field of physiology and psychology by
Cannon.
• The term stress is derived from the Latin word “Stringere” which means
‘to draw tight’.
Stress
• Whenever the emotions become intense, frequent and prolonged, it
becomes stress.
• Stress affects our physical and mental health; particularly it leads to
many physical illness or bodily disorders ranging from cold to cancer -
they are called as “Psychosomatic disorders”.
• Definition:
• Stress is any condition that makes the body to mobilize its
resources and burn more energy than normal requirement.
• Stress is our response to events (stimulus) that disrupt our physical
and psychological equilibrium-Baron.
Variations of Stress
Hyper stress occurs when events
Hyper-stress including positive ones pile up and
stretch the limit of our adaptability.

When events have a harmful effect

Distress Eustress
Eustress has a beneficial effect.
Beginning a new job or getting
married may have a stimulating
effect that results in personal
This kind of stress occurs when we growth. This stress is known as
are lacking stimulation, as a result eustress or good stress
bored people may resort to
sensation seeking behavior. Hypo-stress
Effects of Stress
• The stress affects both our physical and mental health. The effects of
stress can be studied under these headings.
• Stress and health
• Stress and job or task performance
• Behavioral problems
Effects of Stress- Stress and health
• According to medical experts the link between stress and health is
very strong.
• Stress plays a 70% of role in all physical illness.
• The physical illness caused by stress is known as psychosomatic or
psycho physiological disorders.
• Stress plays an important role in the development of diseases from
cold to cancer.
• The “General Adaptation Syndrome” – GAS model developed by Hans
Selye. This model explains how our physiology is affected by our
emotion or stress.
Effects of Stress- Stress and health
• The GAS model has three progressive stages.
• Alarm reaction
• The stage of resistance
• The stage of exhaustion
Effects of Stress- Stress and health
• Alarm reaction:
• In the beginning of stress the body mobilizes the resources to meet
the stress.
• There are many physiological arousal reactions like increased
heartbeat, respiration, metabolism etc.
• The symptoms like headache and fatigue appear.
• During this stage the normal resistance level decreases.
Effects of Stress- Stress and health
• The stage of resistance:
• If the stress continues the organism enters into the second stage of
resistance.
• In this stage the organism develops resistance to stress.
• Physiological arousals reaction returns to normal.
• The symptom like headache and fatigue disappears.
• The body is able to resist the stress because of the hormones ACTH of
pituitary gland and the adrenalin of adrenal gland.
• During this stage, the level of normal resistance increases.
Effects of Stress- Stress and health
• The stage of exhaustion:
• When stress continues, further the organism enters into exhaustion
stage.
• The ACTH and Adrenalin hormones decrease and so the body is not in
a position to resist the stress.
• Original symptoms like headache, fatigue reappears.
• When stress prolongs further organism enters into complete stage of
exhaustion and it may result in death.
Effects of Stress- Stress and job
• A small amount of stress is beneficial for effective job performance.
• But beyond some point stress becomes distracting and job
performance actually drops. And we have a proverb “haste makes
waste”.
• The following are the effects of stress on job performance:
• Stress reduces- productivity, quality, level of motivation, level of job
involvement, level of job satisfaction,
• Stress increases- errors, wastage, absenteeism, accidents, friction with others,
• Stress burnout.
Effects of Stress- Stress and job
• When workers are exposed to stress for a long time, they reach the
state of burnout.
• The following are the characteristics of burnout:
• Physical exhaustion
• Emotional exhaustion
• Attitudinal exhaustion
• Feeling of low personal achievement.
Effects of Stress- Behavioral problems
1. Appetite disorders – Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa
2. Sleeplessness
3. Increase in smoking
4. Increase in drinking
5. Increase in the use of drugs
6. More friction and conflict with others
7. Accident proneness
Coping Mechanism
• Stress cannot be eliminated or irradiated. People can learn to manage
or cope with stress.
• Chemotherapy:
• Stress and anxiety can be reduced or managed by taking the anti-anxiety
drugs or tranquillizers.
• The method is the easiest but undesirable due to dependency, side effects and
high tolerance.
• Exercise:
• Exercises like jogging, aerobics, swimming, stationary cycling etc., helps to
dissipate pent-up energy and tension produced by the stress.
• They also improve our BP, circulation, and lung capacity and strengthen our
cardiac muscles. It has been found that people who exercise regularly feel less
stress and are self-confident and show greater optimism.
Coping Mechanism
• Bio-feedback:
• By using the bio- feedback techniques we can learn to control our own
physiological arousal reaction like BP, HB and GSR.
• The individual is hooked up to the bio- feedback apparatus.
• The apparatus provides both visual and auditory feedback about his
physiological processes.
• Subject has to close his eyes and by doing autosuggestion, slowly he can
control the physiological responses of stress.
• It is effective but costly because we need to use bio- feedback apparatus.
Coping Mechanism
• Relaxation technique:
• The widely used relaxation technique is the “Jacobson progressive relaxation”.
• In this technique, the person first tightens the muscles and then relaxes them.
• This tightening and relaxation of muscles starts with leg muscles and slowly
progress towards facial muscles.
• It is assumed that physical relaxation leads to mental relaxation.
• Relaxation takes other forms like to take regular vacations. People can also
relax while on job.
• It has been recommended that people take a regular rest brakes during their
normal working day.
• Popular way of resting is to sit quietly for 10 minutes every afternoon.
Coping Mechanism
• Meditation:
• Transcendental meditation was popularized by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi through
his famous disciples “Beatles”.
• This meditation involves repeating of “mantras” like ‘OM”. The focus is on the
mantra.
• This will improve the problem solving ability. Planning reduces worries.
• And the problems of the day are suspended by focusing on peaceful repetitive
stimulus, thus we can lower our level of stress, BP and anxiety.
Coping Mechanism
• Time Management.
• Many people became stressful because they are unable to manage the time-
procrastination.
• One popular technique of time management is to make a list every morning of
the things to be done on that day.
• Then group the activities on the list into 3 categories.
1. Critical activities that must be performed.
2. Important activities that should be performed
3. Optional or trivial things that can be assigned or post-pond
Coping Mechanism
• Role Management:
• Role addition leads to more demands and expectations and makes the person
stressful.
• One can learn to avoid overload and role-conflict.
• If you do not know what is expected of you, you should not worry about it
instead ask for classification Another role management strategy is to say ‘no’.
• Many people create problems for themselves by being “yes man”. They must
learn to say ’no’ to unfavorable demand and obligation.
Coping Mechanism
• Assertiveness Training:
• Many people become stressful because they are not assertive. So they will be
“boiling inside”.
• Assertiveness training involves
• Creating awareness about our rights.
• Say ‘ NO’ to unfavorable demands.
• Learning to ‘ask’ favors.
• To accept ‘criticism’ without being emotional.
• How to ‘pass criticism’ without hurting the feelings of others.
Stressors
• Stimulus or event that produce the stress is known as stressors or
stress agent.
• It may be physical or mental.
• Physical stressors include the stressors like overwork, serve pain, loss
of sleep, hunger, prolonged exposure to cold or heat etc. psychological
stressor including loss of love, status, security, examination, interview
etc.
THANK YOU