Noticing that his heart was pounding and that his palms were sweaty while he was taking a difficult test,Harley concluded that he was "anxious." Noticing that his heart was pounding and that his palms were sweaty when an attractive lady asked him to dance,Harley concluded that he was "falling in love." The differing emotions experienced by Harley can best be explained by the
A) Cannon-Bard theory.
B) James-Lange theory.
C) two-factor theory.
D) guilty knowledge test.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory states that emotion is based on two factors: physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. In the first scenario, Harley interprets his physiological arousal as anxiety because he is taking a difficult test. In the second scenario, he interprets the same physiological arousal as falling in love because he is with an attractive lady. This theory emphasizes the role of cognitive interpretation in determining emotional experience. The Cannon-Bard theory proposes that physiological arousal and emotional experience occur simultaneously and independently, while the James-Lange theory proposes that emotional experience is a result of physiological arousal. The guilty knowledge test is a method used in forensic psychology to determine if a person possesses specific knowledge related to a crime.

Noticing That His Heart Was Pounding and That His Palms