PRE 705 Week 7 Discussion: Emotion and Development

Group 2: Michelle Heller, Tiffany Miller, Sarah Tham, Jacob Wolf

Lead Discussant: Michelle Heller

References:

Primary Discussion Leaders for:

Lewis, M. (2000). The emergence of human emotions. In M. Lewis & J.M. Haviland-Jones
(Eds.), Handbook of Emotions (2nd ed.), pp.265-280

Bechara, Damasio, Tranel, & Damasio (1997). Deciding advantageously before knowing the
advantageous strategy. Science, 275, pp. 1293-1295

Summary:

The articles assigned discussed research and theories on the relationship between
cognition, emotion and decision making. Cognitive neuroscience studies have investigated the
brain basis of decision making, with a particular focus on prefrontal cortex. Frontal damage,
particularly ventromedial frontal damage (VFM) can greatly affect decision making. Damage or
lesions on the brain that alters the integration of stimuli leads to impaired emotional reactivity
and alters the capacity of man to evaluate adequately the results of completed actions.

In a study involving a gambling task, normal participants and participants with VMF
damage showed distinctly different decision making processes in performing a task involving
risk taking. Normal participants began to choose advantageously before fully understanding the
correct strategy while the participants with VFM damage chose disadvantageously even after
they knew the correct strategy. The study suggests that “non conscious bias guide behavior
before knowledge and without the help of these biases, overt knowledge may still be insufficient
to ensure advantageous behavior.”

The second article we will discuss presents opposing theories on the relationship between
emotion and cognition. Theories on emotion and cognition have been debated and defined for
many years. Psychologists agree that cognition and emotion are inextricably related, there is no
evidence that emotion is without a thought process, although the thought process may be
conscious or unconscious. In addition, psychologists disagree on whether cognition precedes
emotion; emotion follows cognition processes or whether they occur simultaneously, which is
referred to as “hot cognition.”

Ontogenetic development describes the process of development of the individual from

birth to adulthood. It encompasses all aspects of development, including physical, emotional, and
intellectual development. The ontogenetic development of emotions is related to the fact that
certain objects and situations immediately preceding the emergence of emotions acquire the
ability to evoke them; thus object emotions, which are anticipatory in nature, are formed.
Phylogenetic emotional development refers to the evolutionary process of emotions and
cognition and the results of interaction between man and nature. Some emotions are essentially
“hardwired” into our nervous system and reflect adaptive strategies associated with our
phylogenetic history.

Overview:

Our group will facilitate the discussion of the various theories on the cognitive processes
relating to emotional responses. We will begin with the definition of emotion. In psychology,
emotion is considered a response to stimuli that involves characteristic physiological changes—
such as increase in pulse rate, rise in body temperature, greater or less activity of certain glands,
change in rate of breathing-- all which tend to motivate the individual toward further activity.
Studies of emotion have tried to determine whether a certain emotion arose before the action,
simultaneously with it, or as a response to automatic physiological processes.

We will discuss the difference between ontogenetic and phylogenetic emotional

stimulators and how biology, society and personal experience affect emotional and cognitive
development. In addition we will discuss the meaning making process and how individuals
select, shape and form meaning based on these same external factors.

Finally, the author, Lazurus, asserts that rationality has often been confused with
cognitive appraisal. Our group will lead discussion on the difference between cognitive
appraisal, cognitive awareness and rationality.

Discussion Questions

1. Lazurus states that individual differences lead to meaning as humans actively select and shape
experience and in some degree mold it to their own requirements. Can you think of an example
that illustrates his point?

2. What is an example of an ontogenetic emotional response? A phylogenetic emotional

response?

3. Lazurus argues that cognition does not equate with rationality. He explains that this erroneous
assumption goes back to classical Greek times and religious dogma of the Middle Ages. Some
psychologist today believe emotions are primitive whereas reason reflects human phylogenetic
superiority. Does one needs to suppress emotion in order to reason correctly?

3. Hoschchild points out that the every society produces a kind of template of human
relationships and meaning on which our meanings and feelings are shaped. Within a species and
within a society, commitment patterns and beliefs vary from individual to individual and group
to group. Do you agree? What is an example of a cultural or societal norm that affects human
emotions and behavior?
 4. Bechara claims that nonconscious biases guide behavior before the conscious knowledge.
Does this combination of processes always exist in this order or if a “normal” person were
told of the risky decks, would he still have a nonconscious bias?

5. Given what we’ve learned how does emotion interact with and influence other domains of
cognition, in particular attention, memory, and reasoning?

6. Throughout the article Lazurus uses both the terms feelings and emotions. Eric Jensen, author
of The Learning Brain says “emotions are biologically driven, cross-cultural responses to
environmental stimuli. Feelings are a subset of all of our mind-body states (disappointment,
hunger, hope, etc. Feelings are a learned response in the culture in which ones grows up (the
family, the peers, the community.)” Do you agree or disagree? What are some examples?