Psychology2016

Motivation and Emotion 383

experience is how the person interprets, or appraises, the stimulus that causes the emo-
tional reaction. To mediate means to “come between,” and in this theory, the cognitive
appraisal mediates by coming between the stimulus and the emotional response to that
stimulus.
For example, remember the person who encountered a snarling dog while walk-
ing through the neighborhood? According to Lazarus, the appraisal of the situation
would come before both the physical arousal and the experience of emotion. If the dog
is behind a sturdy fence, the appraisal would be something like “no threat.” The most
likely emotion would be annoyance, and the physical arousal would be minimal. But if
the dog is not confined, the appraisal would more likely be “danger—threatening ani-
mal!” which would be followed by an increase in arousal and the emotional experience
of fear. In other words, it’s the interpretation of the arousal that results in the emotion
of fear, not the labeling as in the Schachter-Singer model, and the interpretation comes
first. (See Figure 9.13.)
Not everyone agrees with this theory, of course. Some researchers believe that emo-
tional reactions to situations are so fast that they are almost instantaneous, which would
leave little time for a cognitive appraisal to occur first (Zajonc, 1998). Others (Kihlstrom
et al., 2000) have found that the human brain can respond to a physical threat before
conscious thought enters the picture. And as addressed earlier, the amygdala can prompt
emotional reactions before we are consciously aware of what we are responding to
(LeDoux, 1996, 2007; LeDoux & Phelps, 2008).

Which theory is right?

Human emotions are so incredibly complex that it might not be out of place to say
that all of the theories are correct to at least some degree. In certain situations, the cogni-
tive appraisal might have time to mediate the emotion that is experienced (such as falling
in love), whereas in other situations, the need to act first and to think and feel later is
more important. (See Figure 9.14 on the next page.)

THINKING CRITICALLY

Which of these theories of emotion do you feel is most correct? Why?

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Figure 9.13 Lazarus’s Cognitive-Mediational Theory of Emotion
In Lazarus’s cognitive-mediational theory of emotion, a stimulus causes an immediate appraisal
(e.g., “The dog is snarling and not behind a fence, so this is dangerous”). The cognitive appraisal results
in an emotional response, which is then followed by the appropriate bodily response.

Stimulus First response Second response

FEAR

Lazarus’s

cognitive-mediational

theory

"The snarling dog is dangerous

and therefore I should feel afraid."

Appraisal

of threat

Bodily

response