Key Takeaways
- There are six main theories of emotion: evolutionary theory, James-Lange theory, Cannon-Bard theory, Schachter-Singer theory, cognitive appraisal theory, and facial-feedback theory.
- Emotions can help people respond quickly to danger and improve survival chances.
Emotions can be complex and confusing. Why exactly do we have emotions? What causes them? Researchers, philosophers, and psychologists have proposed various theories of emotion to explain the how and why behind our complex feelings.
There are many different theories of emotion that seek to explain the purpose, causes, and effects of people’s emotional reactions. Emotions exert a potent force on human behavior. Strong emotions can cause people to take actions they might not normally perform or to avoid situations they enjoy.
Emotion is a complex state of feeling that results in physical and psychological changes that influence thought and behavior. Such feelings include physiological arousal, conscious experiences, and behavioral expressions. Emotionality is associated with a range of psychological phenomena, including temperament, personality, mood, and motivation.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the theories of emotions, what they mean, and how they help explain different aspects of our emotional experiences.
Types of Theories of Emotion
Emotional theories vary in terms of what they focus on. The major theories of emotion can be grouped into three main categories:
- Physiological theories suggest that responses within the body are responsible for emotions.
- Neurological theories propose that activity within the brain leads to emotional responses.
- Cognitive theories argue that thoughts and other mental activities play an essential role in forming emotions.
In addition to these three main categories, psychologists have proposed six main theories of emotion: evolutionary theory, James-Lange theory, Cannon-Bard theory, Schachter-Singer theory, cognitive appraisal theory, and facial-feedback theory.
Verywell / Jiaqi Zhou
Evolutionary Theory of Emotion
The evolutionary theory of emotion suggests that our emotions have roots in evolution. Charles Darwin proposed that emotions evolved because they were adaptive, helping humans and animals survive and reproduce. For example, love and affection encourage people to find mates, while fear prompts them to fight or flee from danger.
Our emotions serve an adaptive role by motivating quick responses to environmental stimuli, enhancing chances for success and survival.
Recognizing emotions in others also plays a vital role in safety. For example, if you encounter a growling animal, you can quickly interpret its emotion as fear or defense and decide to back away.
Accurately interpreting the emotions of people and animals helps you respond appropriately and avoid danger.
The James-Lange Theory of Emotion
The James-Lange theory is a well-known physiological theory of emotion, suggested by psychologist William James and physiologist Carl Lange. It proposes that emotions result from physiological reactions to events.
According to this theory, an external event causes a physiological response, and your interpretation of this response results in an emotional experience.
For example, if you see a bear in the forest, you might start trembling and feel your heart race. The James-Lange theory suggests you conclude you’re afraid because you’re trembling. Thus, you feel frightened not because of the bear but because of the physical changes in your body.
According to this theory of emotion, you are not trembling because you are frightened. Instead, you feel frightened because you are trembling.
The Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion
The Cannon-Bard theory is another well-known physiological theory of emotion, proposed by Walter Cannon in the 1920s and later expanded by Philip Bard. It challenges the James-Lange theory by suggesting emotions and physiological responses occur simultaneously rather than sequentially.
Cannon argued that people can have physiological reactions without feeling emotions. For instance, your heart may race due to exercise, not fear.
Additionally, he suggested that emotional responses happen too quickly to be merely the result of physical states. When faced with danger, you often feel fear before the physical symptoms, like sweating or a racing heart, appear.
According to the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion, we feel emotions and experience physiological reactions such as sweating, trembling, and muscle tension simultaneously.
Cannon first proposed his theory in the 1920s, and his work was later expanded on by physiologist Philip Bard during the 1930s.
More specifically, the theory proposes that emotions result when the thalamus sends a message to the brain in response to a stimulus, resulting in a physiological reaction. At the same time, the brain also receives signals triggering the emotional experience.
Cannon and Bard’s theory suggests that the physical and psychological experience of emotion happens simultaneously and that one does not cause the other.
Schachter-Singer Theory
Also known as the two-factor theory of emotion, the Schachter-Singer theory is an example of a cognitive theory of emotion. This theory suggests that physiological arousal occurs first, and then the individual must identify the reason for this arousal to experience and label it as an emotion. A stimulus leads to a physiological response that is then cognitively interpreted and labeled, resulting in an emotion.
Schachter and Singer’s theory draws on both the James-Lange theory and the Cannon-Bard theory. Like the James-Lange theory, the Schachter-Singer theory proposes that people infer emotions based on physiological responses. The critical factor is the situation and the cognitive interpretation that people use to label that emotion.
The Schachter-Singer theory is a cognitive theory of emotion that suggests our thoughts are responsible for emotions.
Like the Cannon-Bard theory, the Schachter-Singer theory also suggests that similar physiological responses can produce varying emotions. For example, if you experience a racing heart and sweating palms during an important exam, you will probably identify the emotion as anxiety. If you experience the same physical responses on a date, you might interpret those responses as love, affection, or arousal.
Cognitive Appraisal Theory
According to appraisal theories of emotion, thinking must occur first before experiencing emotion. Richard Lazarus was a pioneer in this area of emotion, and this theory is often referred to as the Lazarus theory of emotion.
The cognitive appraisal theory asserts that your brain first appraises a situation, and the resulting response is an emotion.
According to this theory, the sequence of events first involves a stimulus, followed by thought, which then leads to the simultaneous experience of a physiological response and the emotion.
For example, if you encounter a bear in the woods, you might immediately begin to think that you are in great danger. This then leads to the emotional experience of fear and the physical reactions associated with the fight-or-flight response.
Facial-Feedback Theory of Emotion
The facial-feedback theory of emotions suggests that facial expressions are connected to experiencing emotions. Charles Darwin and William James both noted early on that, sometimes, physiological responses often have a direct impact on emotion, rather than simply being a consequence of the emotion.
The facial-feedback theory suggests that emotions are directly tied to changes in facial muscles. For example, people who are forced to smile pleasantly at a social function will have a better time at the event than they would if they had frowned or carried a more neutral facial expression.
Comparing the Six Theories of Emotion
Theory
Summary
Evolutionary
Emotions have evolved to aid in survival
James-Lange
Emotions are the result of interpreting physical reactions
Cannon-Bard
Emotions and physical reactions occur simultaneously
Schachter-Singer
Emotions stem from cognitive evaluations of physical reactions
Cognitive Appraisal
Emotions stem from our cognitive appraisals
Facial Feedback
Facial expressions influence emotional experiences
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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