Paul Ekman Research Paper

Words: 976
Pages: 4
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Devonte MacGlashan
Student ID: 0324919
PSYC 2706EL

Assignment 1

1. The researcher Paul Ekman maintains that there are six basic human emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust. In the tradition of evolutionary theory, each of these should provide a survival value (they should be adaptive). Explain the survival value of each emotion and give examples of how it might help today’s people survive. As mentioned in module 1, Ekman's theory proves that humans have evolved these 6 main facial expressions because it has helped us survive. A study done by Shariff in 2011 titled "What Are Emotions For?" and published by the University of Oregon further expanded on the direct impacts of each of Ekman's 6 emotions. Happiness' …show more content…
The HPA relseases a hormone called cortisol into the bloodstream after stressful events occur. In the body, cortisol increases heart rate, blood pressure, and moves blood to different muscles in order to facilitate fight or flight behavior. This is an evolved process that have helped humans survive throughout centuries in order to escape death. Today we know, due to the Trier Social Stress Task, that cortisol is released in our bodies when our positive social identity is threatened. This process is still beneficial to us because, the additional cortisol released in the body of the individual who lost his job would likely motivate him to look for more opportunities and become determined to secure another …show more content…
In Module 3 you were introduced to the work of researchers Russell and Whissell who propose dimensional theories of emotion. Both researchers propose two dimensions– Pleasantness and Activation. Could there be a third dimension, and if so, what would it be? Osgood, for example, suggested a third dimension. Do you think his is the best idea? Use your imagination and propose a third dimension that would tell you something different about words than the other two. As mentioned in Module 3, there were 2 dimensions theories of emotion that Russell, Whissel, and Osgood agreed on. Those were E (Evaluation) and A (Activation). Evaluation is rated on a scale from desirability to unpleasantness. Activation is rated from high arousal to passivity or inactivity. However, one scale that only Osgood believed in was P (Potency), which rated the strength of a word/concept from high to low. The others argued that E & A implies the strength of a word/concept, thereby making it a redundant
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