Homework Question on Theories Of Emotion
- Write a word paper in which you analyze the function of emotions as motive. Address the following items in your analysis:
- Examine at least two historical theories of emotion and arousal as they relate to human motivation.
Homework Answer on Theories Of Emotion
For a long time now, the phrases, emotions and feelings have been quite diverse which makes them hard to define. These phrases are consequently difficult to comprehensively understand. For thousands of years, people and scholars in this discipline have made countless attempts to help identify with this particular phenomenon but to no avail. The debate is likely to be perpetual in the next centuries. However, the conventional definition of emotion describes a feeling that comprises of physiological changes, outward behavior and expression as well as thoughts.
However, the epicenter of the debate has been what aspect precedes the other? Is it the behavior, the physiological or the thought aspect? This paper seeks to respond to this question through an analysis of at least two theories of emotion and arousal as well as their influence to motivation.The James-Lange theory is the first theory that attempts to explain the influence of emotions on human motivation. The basic tenet of this theory is that, first; an event has to exist in order to cause a physiological arousal (Pastorino & Doyle, 2011, p.311).
The event therefore, further triggers the understanding of the arousal after which one experiences an emotion that motivates them to undertake a particular reaction to the event. Whenever the arousal is not given a thought then, one may not experience emotions. For example, as one walks in the dead of the night, they may hear footsteps following them and consequently begin to tremble, breathe faster and even perspire. Once the body notices these changes, it interprets them as anticipation to terrible situations.