Driving along a dark, rural road, Norma sees a deer jump across the road in front of her. Norma experiences physiological arousal, her heart pounding and her hands trembling. Norma realizes that she is aroused and says, "I'm terrified." This characterization of Norma's emotional experience is most consistent with which theoretical model of emotion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory of emotion, proposed by Schachter and Singer, suggests that emotion is based on two factors: physiological arousal and cognitive labeling of that arousal. In this scenario, Norma experiences physiological arousal (heart pounding, hands trembling) and then cognitively labels this arousal as fear ("I'm terrified"), which aligns with the two-factor theory.

Driving Along a Dark, Rural Road, Norma Sees a Deer