Imagine that your house is on fire and you are afraid. Which of the following explanations BEST represents Schachter's two-factor theory?
A)"I'm shaking because I'm afraid."
B)"I'm afraid because I'm shaking."
C)"My shaking must be due to fear, since my house is on fire."
D)"My fear is a built-in, primary reaction to a dangerous situation."

Question

Imagine that your house is on fire and you are afraid. Which of the following explanations BEST represents Schachter's two-factor theory? ​
A)"I'm shaking because I'm afraid." ​
B)"I'm afraid because I'm shaking."
C)"My shaking must be due to fear, since my house is on fire."
D)"My fear is a built-in, primary reaction to a dangerous situation."

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Schachter's two-factor theory of emotion suggests that emotion comes from the combination of a physiological arousal and a cognitive label of that arousal. In this case, recognizing that the house is on fire (the situation) leads to shaking (physiological arousal), and then the individual concludes that this must be fear (cognitive label).

Imagine That Your House Is on Fire and You Are