Deck 35: A: Introduction to Emotion

Question 1

Astrid was emotionally aroused by a TV horror movie. She became extremely angry when her younger brother momentarily blocked her view of the screen. When her movie viewing was interrupted by a phone call from her boyfriend, however, she experienced unusually intense romantic feelings. Astrid's different emotional reactions to her brother and her boyfriend are best explained by the

A) catharsis hypothesis.
B) James-Lange theory.
C) adaptation-level principle.
D) two-factor theory.

Answer 1

two-factor theory.

Question 2

Which theory states that emotion results from the cognitive labeling of our physiological arousal?

A) adaptation-level
B) relative deprivation
C) Cannon-Bard
D) two-factor

Answer 2

two-factor

Question 3

Vaseem experienced excessive fear while flying because he interpreted his rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, and heavy perspiration as a reaction to the imminent danger of a plane crash. When his psychotherapist convinced him that this physical arousal was simply a harmless reaction to acceleration, cabin pressure, and confined space, his fear of flying was greatly reduced. The reduction in Vaseem's fear is best understood in terms of the

A) James-Lange theory.
B) two-factor theory.
C) adaptation-level phenomenon.
D) relative deprivation principle.

Answer 3

two-factor theory.

Question 4

Which theory can best explain the results of the experiment in which college men were injected with epinephrine prior to spending time with either a euphoric or an irritated person?

A) the Cannon-Bard theory
B) the two-factor theory
C) the James-Lange theory
D) the adaptation-level theory

Question 5

According to the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion

A) you experience fear because your heart begins pounding.
B) your heart begins pounding because you experience fear.
C) you experience fear at the same time your heart begins pounding.
D) none of these statements are true.

Question 6

According to the Cannon-Bard theory, bodily arousal is related to the subjective awareness of emotion in the same way as the ________ is related to the ________.

A) parasympathetic nervous system; thalamus
B) sympathetic nervous system; cortex
C) thalamus; hypothalamus
D) parasympathetic nervous system; sympathetic nervous system

Question 7

We sometimes interpret our arousal before experiencing a complex emotional reaction such as hatred. These complex emotional reactions follow a neural pathway from the

A) thalamus to the amygdala to the cerebral cortex.
B) amygdala to the cerebral cortex to the thalamus.
C) thalamus to the cerebral cortex to the amygdala.
D) amygdala to the thalamus to the cerebral cortex.

Question 8

Which of the following suggests that the experience of emotion results from an awareness of our own physiological responses to an emotion-arousing event?

A) the Cannon-Bard theory
B) the catharsis hypothesis
C) the James-Lange theory
D) the adaptation-level phenomenon

Question 9

When students perceive the arousal that accompanies test-taking as energizing rather than debilitating, they experience much less anxiety. This is best understood in terms of the

A) relative deprivation principle.
B) James-Lange theory.
C) adaptation-level phenomenon.
D) two-factor theory.

Question 10

Evidence that neck-level spinal cord injuries reduce the intensity with which people experience certain emotions most directly refutes the

A) James-Lange theory.
B) catharsis hypothesis.
C) two-factor theory.
D) Cannon-Bard theory.

Question 11

Which theory would be most threatened by evidence that highly similar patterns of physiological activity are associated with uniquely different emotional states?

A) the two-factor theory
B) the Cannon-Bard theory
C) the catharsis theory
D) the James-Lange theory

Question 12

Researchers discovered that the ________ an individual's spinal cord injury, the more feelings of anger tended to ________ in intensity following the injury.

A) higher; decrease
B) higher; increase
C) lower; decrease
D) lower; increase

Question 13

Ten-year-old Vito tells his friend, "When you notice that your knees knock, your hands sweat, and your stomach is in knots, then you really get scared." This statement best illustrates the

A) Cannon-Bard theory.
B) James-Lange theory.
C) catharsis hypothesis.
D) relative deprivation principle.

Question 14

The low-road pathway from the thalamus to the amygdala most directly contributes to ________ emotional responses.

A) conscious
B) automatic
C) self-controlled
D) slowly developed

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT one of the basic components of emotion identified in the text?

A) physiological arousal
B) pupil contraction
C) conscious experience
D) expressive behavior

Question 16

Both the James-Lange and the two-factor theories of emotion maintain that

A) the experience of emotion grows from an awareness of our body's arousal.
B) distinct physiological differences exist among the emotions.
C) some emotions can be experienced apart from cognition.
D) all of these statements are true.

Question 17

According to the Cannon-Bard theory, the experience of an emotion

A) depends on the intensity of physiological arousal.
B) can occur only after physiological arousal.
C) occurs simultaneously with physiological arousal.
D) precedes physiological arousal.

Question 18

College men given injections of epinephrine felt happiest if they were told the injection would produce ________ and if they were in the company of a person who is acting ________.

A) arousal; euphoric
B) arousal; irritated
C) no effects; euphoric
D) no effects; irritated

Question 19

The suggestion that we share a friend's feelings of joy if we smile with him or her best illustrates the logic of the

A) Cannon-Bard theory.
B) adaptation-level phenomenon.
C) James-Lange theory.
D) catharsis hypothesis.

Question 20

In anger-provoking situations, sexually aroused people experience more intense hostility than those who are not sexually aroused. This best illustrates the

A) Cannon-Bard theory.
B) spillover effect.
C) catharsis hypothesis.
D) adaptation-level phenomenon.

Question 21

Turning in at her street, Dominique saw six fire trucks in front of her apartment building. Her heart beat wildly until someone yelled, "Just a false alarm." Her pulse then began to return to normal, due to the action of her ________ nervous system.

A) central
B) somatic
C) sympathetic
D) parasympathetic

Question 22

The emotions of anger and fear involve similar

A) subjective thoughts and experiences.
B) patterns of autonomic arousal.
C) facial expressions.
D) patterns of brain activity.

Question 23

The level of arousal typically associated with peak performance tends to be

A) lower on easy tasks.
B) higher on difficult tasks.
C) higher on well-learned tasks.
D) lower on well-learned tasks.

Question 24

During a state of emotional arousal, the adrenal glands release ________ into the bloodstream.

A) insulin
B) acetylcholine
C) norepinephrine
D) glucose

Question 25

Research on the physiological states accompanying specific emotions indicates that

A) each emotion is associated with a unique pattern of sympathetic nervous system activity.
B) emotions such as happiness and surprise are accompanied by different blood pressure levels.
C) the finger temperature and hormone secretions that accompany fear and anger do sometimes differ.
D) every emotion has precisely the same pattern of limbic system activity.

Question 26

Which division of the nervous system arouses the body and mobilizes its energy in emotionally stressful situations?

A) sympathetic
B) central
C) somatic
D) parasympathetic

Question 27

Emotional disgust is to emotional delight as ________ is to ________.

A) blood sugar decrease; blood sugar increase
B) right prefrontal cortex activation; left prefrontal cortex activation
C) sympathetic nervous system; parasympathetic nervous system
D) the relative deprivation principle; the adaptation-level principle

Question 28

An inexperienced pilot prepares for an emergency landing after her single-engine plane loses power. Her emotional arousal is likely to be accompanied by

A) decreased respiration.
B) pupil constriction.
C) increased blood sugar levels.
D) increased salivation.

Question 29

Whether we feel angry or depressed in response to a low exam grade depends on whether we attribute the poor grade to an unfair test or to our own low intelligence. This best illustrates that emotions are influenced by

A) physical arousal.
B) relative deprivation.
C) cognitive appraisals.
D) genetic predispositions.

Question 30

The sympathetic nervous system is to the parasympathetic nervous system as ________ is to ________.

A) inhibition of digestion; acceleration of digestion
B) decreasing heart rate; increasing heart rate
C) decreasing blood sugar; increasing blood sugar
D) contraction of pupils; dilation of pupils

Question 31

Observers watching fearful faces show more brain activity in the ________ than do those watching angry faces.

A) cerebellum
B) thalamus
C) amygdala
D) hippocampus

Question 32

Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system

A) accelerates heart rate and slows digestion.
B) slows heart rate and accelerates digestion.
C) slows heart rate and slows digestion.
D) accelerates heart rate and accelerates digestion.

Question 33

Evidence that visual input is routed from the thalamus directly to the amygdala has been used to support the claim that

A) the amygdala sends more neural projections up to the cortex than it receives back.
B) emotion tends to distort our perceptions of the world.
C) a visual stimulus always triggers a stronger emotional response than does an auditory stimulus.
D) some emotional reactions may occur without conscious thinking.

Question 34

The insula is activated when people experience emotions such as

A) pride.
B) lust.
C) disgust.
D) any of these emotions.

Question 35

Researchers demonstrated that subliminal exposure to fearful eyes triggered increased activity in the

A) hypothalamus.
B) amygdala.
C) cerebellum.
D) hippocampus.

Question 36

Very high levels of physiological arousal would be most likely to interfere with effectively

A) solving a crossword puzzle.
B) repeating the alphabet.
C) riding a bicycle.
D) washing dishes.

Question 37

Lillian will be taking an entrance exam for law school this afternoon. She is likely to ________ on the exam if her physiological arousal is ________.

A) do well; moderate
B) do poorly; moderate
C) do well; very low
D) do well; very high

Question 38

Walking home from work late one night, Jaydra suddenly hears footsteps behind her. Her heart pounds, her muscles tense, and her mouth goes dry. These bodily responses are activated by her ________ nervous system.

A) central
B) sympathetic
C) parasympathetic
D) somatic

Question 39

Which of the following emotional reactions is most likely to precede any conscious thinking?

A) hatred
B) love
C) fear
D) depression

Question 40

As people experience positive emotions, an increase in brain activity is most evident in the

A) right frontal lobe.
B) left frontal lobe.
C) right temporal lobe.
D) left temporal lobe.

Question 41

In one study, polygraph experts interpreted the polygraph data of 100 people who had been suspects in crimes of theft. Had the polygraph experts been the judges of guilt or innocence

A) less than 5 percent of the truly guilty would have been declared innocent.
B) less than 5 percent of the truly innocent would have been declared guilty.
C) more than one-third of the truly innocent would have been declared guilty.
D) more than two-thirds of the truly guilty would have been declared innocent.

Question 42

When guilty knowledge tests are used with enough specific probes

A) innocent suspects are typically judged guilty by polygraph examiners.
B) guilty suspects are always judged guilty by polygraph examiners.
C) guilty suspects are seldom judged guilty by polygraph examiners.
D) innocent suspects are seldom judged guilty by polygraph examiners.

Question 43

One problem with the use of the polygraph for lie detection is that

A) polygraph assessments are more expensive than brain scans.
B) anxiety, irritation, and guilt feelings all prompt similar physiological reactivity.
C) emotions involve expressive behaviors as well as autonomic nervous system arousal.
D) innocent people are presumed to be guilty at the very beginning of any lie detector test.

Question 44

Mr. Hanson is strongly suspected of embezzling money from his employer. He has denied the allegation. To determine whether he is lying, investigators are most likely to ask Mr. Hanson to take a(n) ________ test.

A) electrocardiograph
B) polygraph
C) myograph
D) tomograph

Question 45

The polygraph measures the changes in ________ that accompany emotion.

A) blood sugar level
B) hormone secretions
C) pupil dilation
D) heart rate

Question 46

Although newspapers reported that a murder victim had been stabbed with a knife, two police investigators knew that the actual murder weapon was a letter opener. While carefully monitoring the changes in heart rate and perspiration level of a prime suspect, the investigators asked him if he typically used a letter opener on his mail. The investigators were making use of the

A) adaptation-level phenomenon.
B) relative deprivation principle.
C) guilty knowledge test.
D) catharsis hypothesis.