NROC61H3 Chapter Notes -Raphe Nuclei, Brainstem, Lateral Hypothalamus
23 Jan 2013
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Document Summary
Affective neuroscience is the branch of neuroscience applied to the investigation of the neural basis of emotion and mood. Proposed that we experience emotions as a result of physiological changes in our body. So for example we feel sad because we cry. According to them, the physiological changes are the emotion. So if they are removed, the emotion goes as well. Criticism of this is that emotions are experienced by people who have spinal injuries, even though sensation is lost. Proposed that emotional experience can occur independently of emotional expression. So in this case the stimulus is perceived and input is sent to the thalamus. The pattern of activation here then determines emotional response. Criticism of this includes that some emotions are associated with discernable physiological responses, such as laughing with happiness. Also that forcing oneself to express an emotion could lead to an emotion. Such as smiling in order to feel happy.
