Emotions - psych notes continuation from (cognition)

Emotions function completely different from cognition that we discussed last. Cognition in it’s purest sense is logical thinking. Emotions takes the stimulus and either amplifies it or de-amplifies it. You don’t have the 1 to 1 correspondence. Eg. Someone smashed my fender. I can rant and rave and the unfairness of the world. Or, 2, I will look at what it will cost, about $1000. to repair. 50 h x 20= to pay - won’t gain by wasting energy so will repair. Latter process is a more rational approach. What happened? How will I deal with it? This is the difference. This is idealized because even when we think we are being rational and calm, there is some colouring of emotion. There are six basic emotions. Fear Anger sadness disgust surprise happiness There are three colour receptors in the eye; same concept as six emotions. If you look at any diagnose, you will find that one or another of these systems is out of wack - way to easy too activate or way too hard to activate. I will write about “fear system” which will activate far to easy. Think, do we go on which system is too high or too low? Eg. Schizophrenia - which is a thought disorder. (I just watched a program last night about marijuana testing which depicted the usage and brain study to be the same of that as schizophrenia. I believe it was 20/20 or the fifth estate. The study was conducted in the States, as marijuana use is still not legal here. I am glad that they are releasing studies that can show how destructive marijuana can be for a developing brain, since I see the negative effects of it in my private practice. Back to my notes now). There is also a problem in emotional regulation. It get’s in the way of what they may be able to do. Anti-social - too little fear. This is framework to categorize and understand mental disorder - not the whole. Cognition is not only in processing - also issue of what part of experience goes into these emotional bins. eg. flashing lights in class - not auditory just sights. There is something a bit different for each bin of the six. There is an intermingling of emotions and cognition and you find in each culture abnormal, if have a cognition in an emotional bin that does not belong there. Eg. laughing at a funeral - that is abnormal behaviour (not necessarily disorder). At biological level these systems can be too finely tuned - eg. people prone to depression - anything happening in the world can be awful at other end. Is that not wonderful? Always can find a positive. Both may be found as strange. Not called fear disorders but anxiety disorders. Question: How does this come to be? It is a blue print. There are different perceptions. There is a general overview: Biological : Fear processed in part of brain called Amygdala (if fear centre is activated, feels fear, if not does not. Neurotransmitter is involved in regulating. This is called GABA, an inhibiting transmitter. Normally, GABA functions as a gate. When something is extremely intense, eg. only person walks into class and big guy comes in. I may start to feel threatened - magnitude of stimulus, that makes me uneasy. I’m getting a few more impulses coming in. If man shouts, experience more fear. Also if exposed to extremely loud noise, even if benign. For example, jet engine - fear because not enough inhibition at the centre. This is biological level. What happens if a person has only 1/2 GABA as rest of us. They have a lower threshold to experience fear. One quantum alone may exhibit fear - not nearly as much fear to experience. to be continued…….. (this is one notebook completed from Abnormal Psychology). I hope some of this information is useful to you.) Next week back to theology)