Two friends walking down a busy street hear a loud bang; they both feel their hearts race in the moment of panic and turn to see that a truck has backfired. They laugh, attributing their pounding hearts to the surprise they felt at the sound. This scenario best illustrates which theory of emotion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Schachter and Singer theory, also known as the two-factor theory of emotion, suggests that emotion is based on physiological arousal and a cognitive label. In this scenario, the friends experience physiological arousal (heart racing) and then cognitively label it as surprise due to the truck backfiring, which aligns with this theory.

Two Friends Walking Down a Busy Street Hear a Loud