PSY 302:  Psychology of Emotions

(aka Human Motives and Emotions)

Spring 2004

 

Instructor:                  Lizabeth Roemer, Ph.D.

                                    M-4-215, phone 287-6358; fax 287-6336

                                    email:  Lizabeth.Roemer@umb.edu

Office Hours:             T Th 1 – 2:30

 

Course Objectives: This course is designed to familiarize students with the major theoretical perspectives on emotion in the field of psychology.  Students will be introduced to some of the central debates in the field of the emotion and to the ongoing issues that are the subject of empirical study.  Students will also be introduced to the multiple components of emotional experience (e.g., expression, physiology, self-report, cognitive appraisal). Toward the end of the semester, the course will focus on emotion regulation and management and the clinical and health implications of emotion and emotion regulation.

 

Format of Course: This course will consist primarily of lectures and class discussion.  It is expected that students will have read all assigned reading materials prior to each class so that they are prepared to actively participate in discussion.

 

Required Text and Assigned Readings: There are two required texts (Cornelius (1996) The Science of Emotion & Ledoux (1998) The Emotional Brain); available at the bookstore) and a coursepack for this course.

 

Course Requirements:

 

Attendance at lectures.  Students are expected to attend every class and attendance will be taken.  Class discussions will provide the context for integrating and understanding the readings; attendance is essential in order to learn the material.  Exams will be based largely on class material. Tardiness will also be noted, and repeated absences or tardiness will lower final grades.

 

Participation. Class participation will not be assigned a point value toward a final grade.  Your class participation will be used at the discretion of the course instructor to adjust grades upward only for students who fall on the borderline between two grades.

 

Questions on readings. At five points during the semester, I would like you to email me a question about the readings the night before they are due (by 9pm, late questions will not be accepted).  I will use these questions to prepare lecture on the reading material. These questions will not be evaluated, but they will make up 5% of your grade. In other words, if you only send four questions, you will lose one percentage point of your final grade, if you only send three questions, you will lose two percentage points, etc.

 

 

 

Exams.  There will be a midterm and a final examination that will cover all material from the readings, lectures and discussions. Exams will consist of essays. Questions will be distributed prior to the exam and material will be reviewed in class.

 

NOTE:  If you miss an exam due to illness or other university excused absence, you MUST leave me a message PRIOR TO original exam.  You may be required to provide documentation for this absence (e.g., a note from the doctor).  Failure to contact me, or to provide documentation for the absence if requested will result in a grade of “0” for the exam.  Make-up exams may differ in form and content.

 

Paper:  By May 6th, you will be asked to write a 5-8 page (double-spaced) paper on a topic of your choice in the field of emotion. More details of this assignment are provided later in this syllabus. The first step in this process will be a class exercise in which each of you summarize and critique two articles from your packet, bring that critique into class on Feb 17th, and we spend time in class reviewing these summaries. Then you will each submit a brief proposal of what you plan to write about and how you plan to identify sources for this paper. This one-page proposal is due Feb 26th. Failure to submit it will result in 5 points deducted from your final paper grade; 1 point will be deducted from your final paper grade for each day the proposal is late. I will review this proposal and provide suggestions and guidance. Next you will prepare an annotated bibliography (full references with brief summaries of articles – DO NOT just copy abstracts from PsychInfo or another search engine) of 5 main sources you plan to use. This is due March 23rd. Again, 5 points will be deducted from your final paper grade if you fail to turn it in and 1 point will be deducted from your final paper grade for each day the bibliography is late. In addition, you will be asked to rewrite the bibliography if your article summaries are not clear and will have one week to do so without any point deduction. Copying abstracts directly from articles is a form of plagiarism and will result in a failing grade for this part of the assignment (and thus 5 points deducted from your final paper grade). Plagiarism of any sort on the final paper will result in a failing grade for the paper and possibly the class. If you have any question about what constitutes plagiarism, come see me. The final paper will be due May 6th. 5 points will be deducted from the final paper grade for each day it is late (including nonclass days). Any paper submitted after 5pm on May 13th will receive an automatic F and will not be read (There will be no penalty for turning any assignment in early however – so you might want to aim for completing each part in advance, in case something unexpected delays you). Papers that are never turned in will receive a 0, which will hurt your grade substantially more than an F. I will review and comment on any rough drafts that are submitted on or before April 15th, and will meet with students up until the paper deadline to discuss papers.  It is in your best interest to have me read a draft of your paper before the final version, so work on this early and submit a draft.

 

Grading: Each exam will constitute 30% of your final grade. The final paper grade will contribute constitute 35% and the reading questions will make up the final 5% of your grade.

 

Office hours: Students are encouraged to attend office hours or call and make an appointment for alternate times if any additional help is needed in comprehending and mastering the course material. The instructor is available to assist in understanding the book, lecture material, mistakes made on a previous exam, or to problem-solve any difficulties arising in the course. Any other advising questions are also welcome (course choices, career planning, etc.).

 

If at any point a student is having difficulty completing assignments or attending class, it is strongly recommended that he or she meet with the instructor immediately to discuss the situation.  Often difficulties can be solved in advance but by the end of the semester less can be done to overcome the problem.

 

CLASS POLICIES:

1. In accordance with Section 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the University of Massachusetts Boston attempts to accommodate all students with certified "special needs". Through the Lillian Semper Ross Center for Disability Services various aids such as sign language interpreting, readers, testing accommodations, counseling, etc. are available to students. If you believe that you have such special needs you should contact the Center on the first floor of the McCormack Building (287-7430) as soon as possible.

2. You may note in the class syllabus certain topics that may in some cases cause severe discomfort or other strong emotional reactions from some students. If you believe that in- class discussion of such material might be more than you can handle please see me right away so that we can determine whether you should remain in this course.

3. It is assumed that in this class each student and I will act in a professional and honest manner. Therefore, any student who engages in an act of Academic Dishonesty, plagiarizing a paper (copying from any source without quotes and referencing is plagiarizing, as is taking an idea from a source without referencing it), cheating on an exam, etc., will receive a failing grade for that assignment/test and in most cases a failing grade for the course. Please review the sections on Academic Standards, Cheating, and Plagiarism (pg. 44, 45), sections II and IV, and V of the Code of Student Conduct (pg. 48-52) in the University Undergraduate Catalog 2000-2001. If you still have questions about Academic Honesty or expectations in this course see me well prior to the due date of the assignment.


Paper Assignment

ASSIGNMENT

Choose an area of emotion that you would like to learn more about. Sample topics are included below. You will select 5 empirical articles in this area and write a paper that introduces your topic, critically reviews these five articles, and integrates the findings reported and makes suggestions for future research. You may also use review articles or chapters to help you organize your integrative comments, but this is not required.

 

SAMPLE TOPICS

 

            Are facial expressions universal or culturally determined?

            Do specific emotions have distinct physiological patterns?

            The association between emotional intelligence or regulation (in general, or a specific aspect of regulation or intelligence such as facial expression regulation or emotional awareness) and any specific psychological disorder (e.g., substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, anxiety disorders).

            Cognitive appraisal and any specific emotion

            Emotion in infants

            Culture-specific emotional expressions, behaviors, or meanings in any particular cultural group

             The effect of emotional state on memory

             

PURPOSE

The primary purpose of this paper is for you to familiarize yourself with scholarly work in a specific area of emotion research, apply the material learned in class to this specific area, and integrate the information gathered from various in-class and external sources.

 

Secondary purposes include:

1) Renewing your skills in using computer databases (e.g., PsychInfo, Sociofile) to survey the psychological research and using the library system to obtain copies of research articles.

 

2) Utilizing critical thinking skills to choose the most relevant articles to address your specific topic.

 

3) Strengthening your ability to read research articles.

DUE DATES

Proposal:                                  February 26th   

Annotated bibliography:            March 23rd  

Final day for rough drafts:      April 15th   

Final paper:                              May 6th  

 

 

FORMAT

Approximately 5 - 8, double-spaced pages in 12-point font

 

All papers should

 

Ø      Begin with an introduction that includes:

°         Statement of the topic of your paper

°         Brief discussion of why it is an important topic

°         a general impression of the main points your paper will address

 

Ø      Critically review at least five empirical articles on your topic. These reviews should highlight important methodological elements of the study, and report the central study findings. These findings should be discussed in terms of methodological strengths and weaknesses.

 

Ø      Integrate these findings in several concluding paragraphs by

°         highlighting the essential points of the paper

°         integrating material (address inconsistencies, flaws in research)

°         highlighting directions for future research

 

Ø      Include references in APA format (at end, under heading “References”)

IMPORTANT WRITING TIPS

 

** Be very careful about unintentional plagiarizing.  Do not copy the words of the author.

** Also be careful about using absolute terms or definitive language when these are unfounded.  For instance:

 

Inappropriate:   “This study proved that facial expressions are universal.”

Appropriate:     “This study found that individuals from these three different cultural groups demonstrated a high level of agreement when rating facial expressions displaying fear, anger and happiness.”

Inappropriate:   “Teenagers drive worse than adults.”

Appropriate:     “Analyses of state police records revealed that teenage drivers in Massachusetts received significantly more speeding citations than adult drivers in 1997.”

 

** Read your paper over out loud to see if it makes sense and to be sure you are saying what you mean to be saying (this is also a good way to catch errors). Have someone else read it also and then tell you what he or she thinks your main points are to see if you are getting your main points across clearly. 

 

** Writing is a process – clear, well-written papers require several revisions.  These revisions help you clarify your thinking in the area and help you determine what is most important for you to convey to your audience.

SOURCES OF HELP

 

°         UMB Academic Support Programs (McCormack 3rd floor) provide individualized guidance regarding writing skills.  The staff are VERY HELPFUL, and can help with the process of developing your paper.  If you are interested in taking advantage of their help, consult the instructor and/or call 287-6550 as soon as possible. 

 

°         The instructor is available during office hours (or by appointment) to consult with you about your paper.

 

 

 

Schedule of topics and readings:

Topics                                                                                                                        Dates

Review of syllabus, class expectations, etc                                                                Jan 27

 

What is emotion?                                                                                                       Jan 29

Cornelius Ch 1

Ledoux Ch 1

Frijda

 

Darwin, Facial expressivity and evolutionary approaches                                        Feb 3 & 5

            Cornelius Ch 2

            Ekman et al.

 

James and physiological responses                                                                 Feb 10, 12, 17

           Cornelius Ch 3 

Levenson et al. (summary and critique due Feb 17; also prepare summary and critique of Ekman et al for the 17)            

                 

Ledoux and emotional neuroscience I:                                                                    Feb 19, 24

Ledoux Ch 2, Ch 3 (page 53 on), Ch 4, Ch 5 (page 125 on)

Cornelius Appendix (optional)

 

Ledoux and emotional neuroscience II:                                                                   Feb 26, March 2

Ledoux Chapter 6 & 7           

Whalen

 

Review for exam                                                                                                         March 4

Exam                                                                                                                           March 9

Class cancelled                                                                                                          March 11

 

Cognitive/appraisal models                                                                                    March 23 & 25

Cornelius Ch 4

Ledoux Ch 9

 

Social-constructivist, social models                                                                       March 30, April 1

            Cornelius Ch 5

            Kemper

            Shweder & Haidt        

                                               

Integrating models                                                                                                     April 6

            Cornelius Chapter 6

 

Development of Emotions                                                                                          April 8 & 13

            Izard & Ackerman

            Saarni

Emotional Intelligence and Regulation                                                                     April 15, 20, 22

            Salovey et al.

            Kopp

            Gross

            Lischetzke & Eid

 

Emotion and Mental and Physical Health                                                                April 25, 27, 29

            Kring &

            Turk et al.

            Pollak & Tolley-Schell

            Leventhal & Patrick-Miller

            Booth & Pennebaker

           

Emotion-based Interventions                                                                                     May 4 & 6

            Greenberg & Safran

            Mennin

           

Summary, Review for Final                                                                                           May 11

 

 

Final                                                                                                                Finals week

 

 

 

Reading List

            Booth, R. J., & Pennebaker, J. W. (2000). Emotions and immunity. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 558-572).. New York: Guilford.

            Ekman, P., Friesen, W. V., O’Sullivan, M., Heider, K., Krause, R., et al. (1987). Universal and cultural differences in the judgment of facial expressions of emotion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 712-717.

            Frijda, N. H. (2000). The psychologist point of view. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 59-74). New York: Guilford.

            Greenberg, L.S., & Safran, J.D. (1989). Emotion in psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 44, 19-29.

            Gross, J.J. (1999). Emotion regulation: Past, present and future. Cognition and Emotion, 13, 551-573.

            Kemper, T. D. (2000). Social models in the explanation of emotion. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 45-58). New York: Guilford.

            Kopp, C. B. (1989). Regulation of distress and negative emotions: A developmental view. Developmental Psychology, 25, 343-354.

            Kring, A.M., & Bachorowski, J. (1999). Emotions and psychopathology. Cognition and Emotion, 13, 575-599.

            Izard, C. E., & Ackerman, B. P. (2000). Motivational, organizational, and regulatory functions of discrete emotions. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 253-264). New York: Guilford.

            Levenson, R. W., Ekman, P., Heider, K., & Friesen, W. V. (1992). Emotion and autonomic system activity in the Minangkabau of West Sumatra. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 972-988.

            Leventhal, H., & Patrick-Miller, L. (2000). Emotions and physical illness: Causes and indicators of vulnerability. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 523-537). New York: Guilford.

            Lischetzke, T., & Eid, M. (2003). Is attention to feelings beneficial or detrimental to affective well-being? Mood regulation as a moderator variable. Emotion, 3, 361-377.

            Mennin, D. S. (2004). Emotion regulation therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 11.

            Pollak, S.D., & Tolley-Schell, S. A. (2003). Selective attention to facial emotion in physically abused children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 323-338.

            Saarni, C. (2000). The social context of emotional development. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 306-324). New York: Guilford.

            Salovey, P., Bedell, B.T., Detweiler, J., & Mayer, J.D. (2000). Current directions in emotional intelligence research. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 504-522). New York: Guilford.

            Shweder, R. A., & Haidt, J. (2000). The cultural psychology of the emotions: Ancient and new. In M. Lewis & J. H. Haviland-Jones (Eds). Handbook of Emotions, 2nd Ed (pp 397-414). New York: Guilford.

      Turk, C. L., Heimberg, R. G., Luterek, J. A., Mennin, D. S., & Fresco, D. M. (In press). Emotion Dysregulation in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Comparison with Social Anxiety Disorder. Cognitive Therapy and Research.

            Whalen, P.J. (1998). Fear vigilance, and ambiguity: Initial neuroimaging studies of the human amygdale. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 7, 177-188.