PSYC 1150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Neurotransmitter, Thalamus, Anorexia Nervosa

• School: University of Windsor
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1150
• Professor: Scott Mattson

Document Summary

Emotion: mental state or feeling associated with our evaluation of our experi- ences. Discrete emotions theory: humans experience a small number of distinct emo- tions that are rooted in our biology, though they may combine in complex ways. Each emotion is associated with a distinct motor program : set of genetically in- fluenced physiological responses. Since the cortex (thinking) evolved later than the limbic system (emotion), our feelings precede our thoughts about those feelings. Disgust example: wrinkling nose, contracting mouth, sticking out tongue after eat- ing something gross. Increasing the chances you"ll ingest the substance or that you"ll expel it. Oftentimes emotions look similar in humans as they do in other animals; but doesn"t always prove they share evolutionary roots, eg. wings of birds and bats not linked. With emotions, we know all mammals share an evolutionary ancestor - parsimo- nious explanation - perhaps these similar reactions share similar origins.