Question 1

Emotions are a form of social communication in that

Accepted Answer

Emotions provide observable information about our internal states and intentions, thereby influencing how other people behave toward us.

Question 2

The fact that emotions typically do not occur by themselves and are usually triggered in response to various people, behaviours, situations, objects, or events best demonstrates how emotions involve

Accepted Answer

Emotions are often triggered by eliciting stimuli, which are external events or situations that provoke an emotional response.

Question 3

Richard and Robert are watching a film on public television. The film is of the amputation of an arm. The film evoked interest in Richard and disgust in Robert because each boy attached different meaning to the film. Richard, who is studying to become a doctor, interpreted the film in a clinical, detached way. The sight of blood, on the other hand, sickened Robert. Each boy had a different __________ of the film.

Accepted Answer

The difference in reactions between Richard and Robert can be attributed to their cognitive appraisal of the film. Cognitive appraisal refers to the personal interpretation of a situation that ultimately influences the emotional reaction to that situation. Richard's clinical and detached view as a medical student versus Robert's sickened response due to the sight of blood demonstrates how their individual interpretations (cognitive appraisals) of the film led to their distinct emotional responses.

Question 4

A baby who smiles a lot is likely to increase his parents' feelings of love and caring for him and as a result, this may increase the likelihood that his biological and emotional needs will be met. This example illustrates the potential adaptive function of emotions for infants and young children and shows how language can serve as a form of _____________.

Accepted Answer

The example illustrates how emotions, such as smiling, can serve as a form of communication, especially before infants and young children develop the ability to use language. Smiling communicates happiness and contentment, which can strengthen the bond between parents and their child, ensuring the child's needs are met.

Question 5

Both Mike and Barney are rather anxious at the approach of a challenging chemistry test. Mike tends to dwell on his anxiety and after a while, he becomes somewhat depressed. Barney, on the other hand, decides that he can reduce his anxiety if he sets up a rigorous study schedule where he works evenings and weekends. Mike's emotional responses to this situation are best considered as examples of expressive behaviours and Barney's responses are most similar to what are called _____________ behaviours.

Accepted Answer

Barney's approach to dealing with his anxiety through setting up a rigorous study schedule is an example of instrumental behavior, which involves taking direct action to achieve a goal or solve a problem, in this case, reducing anxiety by preparing thoroughly for the test.

Question 6

Jim gets a paper back in his English class and although he thought he did pretty well, he receives an almost failing grade on it. Jim begins to criticize himself (e.g., "I'm such an idiot!") and because his tendency to do so is so habitual and well-learned, he isn't really aware of what he is doing internally. Nonetheless, within a relatively short period of time, Jim is feeling depressed and down. This example best demonstrates how emotional responses are caused by ____________.

Accepted Answer

Jim's emotional response (feeling depressed and down) is best explained by automatic cognitive appraisals. These are quick, often subconscious assessments of a situation that lead to emotional responses. In this case, Jim's habit of criticizing himself without full awareness is an example of an automatic cognitive appraisal leading to his negative emotional state.

Question 7

Research suggests that a fear response can be classically conditioned more easily with some stimuli (e.g., snakes) compared to others (e.g., flowers), indicating that _________ can play a role in emotional processing.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is explained by the concept of innate biological predispositions, which suggests that humans are evolutionarily predisposed to fear certain stimuli that posed threats to survival more than others, making it easier to develop fear responses to these stimuli through classical conditioning.

Question 8

Suppose someone asked you right now to think of a time when you were treated unfairly. It is very likely that the simple memory of what was done to you would evoke some feelings of anger and/or other emotions that you experienced in response to this particular event. The fact that you can do this in response to this person's request best demonstrates how

Accepted Answer

Emotions can be triggered by recalling a memory (an internal stimulus), demonstrating that both internal and external stimuli can evoke emotions.

Question 9

Mauro and his colleagues found that Americans were more likely than Japanese individuals to report feelings such as pride and hope, and that Japanese individuals were more likely to report feelings of shame and regret than people from Hong Kong. However, when any particular emotion did occur, it was found that the ____________ that produced it tended to be very similar.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive appraisals are the processes by which individuals interpret and give meaning to events and situations, leading to emotional responses. The similarity in cognitive appraisals across cultures suggests that while the frequency of certain emotions may vary, the underlying process that leads to these emotions is consistent.

Question 10

In addition to being evoked by internal or external stimuli, another common factor that all emotions generally share is that

Accepted Answer

Emotions typically involve physiological responses, such as changes in heart rate, respiration, and hormonal levels, which are part of the body's response to various stimuli.

Question 11

Researchers have determined that the cognitive appraisals of different emotions, such as anger, fear, and joy, appear to be remarkably similar for people in different cultures, suggesting that some types of interpretations may be ______________.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is B) universal, because the statement indicates that cognitive appraisals of emotions are similar across different cultures, suggesting a commonality that transcends cultural differences, which aligns with the concept of universality.

Question 12

All of the following were mentioned as one of the four common features of emotions EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Emotions are not distinct from the behavioral tendencies they evoke; rather, they often directly influence or are intertwined with these tendencies. The other options (B, C, D) correctly describe common features of emotions: physiological responses, interpretation of stimuli, and responses to stimuli.

Question 13

A baby begins crying and this evokes a negative physiological response in her mother. The mother interprets this signal as indicating that the baby is unhappy and she uses several caretaking behaviours to sooth her child. This example best demonstrates how

Accepted Answer

The example illustrates how emotions (the baby's crying) communicate needs or states (unhappiness) between individuals, serving as a form of social communication that prompts a response (caretaking behaviors) from others.

Question 14

Feeling passion at the sight of your lover and feeling anxious when thinking of someone who is very critical and harsh are best considered examples of how emotional responses are shaped by ________________.

Accepted Answer

These examples illustrate how emotional responses can be shaped by learning. The feelings of passion or anxiety in these contexts are likely learned responses based on past interactions or experiences with the individuals in question, rather than being innate, instrumental, or the result of comparisons.

Question 15

All of the following brain structures were mentioned as playing important roles in the regulation and production of emotion EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is primarily known for its role in coordinating voluntary movements, balance, and posture, rather than in the regulation and production of emotion, which is more directly associated with the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala.

Question 16

The fact that you almost instinctively jump out of the way of a car that is about to hit you and the fact that young infants clearly feel emotions even though they have yet to learn language are examples that both demonstrate how

Accepted Answer

These examples illustrate that cognitive appraisals involved in emotion can be automatic or primitive, indicating that some emotional responses occur without conscious thought or language, as seen in the instinctive reaction to danger and the emotional expressions of infants.

Question 17

The fact that two people can have very different emotions in response to the same event is most easily explained by the notion of

Accepted Answer

Cognitive appraisals refer to the individual's interpretation and evaluation of an event, which determines their emotional response. This explains why two people can experience different emotions in response to the same event, as their appraisals of the situation may differ.

Question 18

Your roommate returns home after being gone all day and rolls his eyes and says nothing in response to your friendly, "hello." You interpret this lack of response as being rather rude and your body responds with some of the minor physiological changes associated with anger. With your arousal increasing, you sarcastically say, "Nice to see you too, jerk!" under your breath as your roommate closes the door to his room. In this example, the rolling eyes and lack of response from your roommate would best be considered the

Accepted Answer

The rolling eyes and lack of response from your roommate act as the eliciting stimulus, triggering the emotional response of anger in you.

Question 19

Demonstrating how emotional communication begins to develop very early in life, within one to three days of birth, human infants will respond to the sound of another infant's crying _______________.

Accepted Answer

Infants often respond to the sound of another infant's crying by crying themselves, which is an early form of emotional communication and empathy.

Question 20

The fact that people from Tahiti are often afraid of being alone, and Eskimos tend to feel sad and lonely when by themselves were discussed to demonstrate

Accepted Answer

The examples of people from Tahiti and Eskimos illustrate how cultural contexts can shape the way emotions are experienced and interpreted, indicating that some cognitive appraisals are culturally determined.

Quiz 11: Motivation and Emotion