Self And The Phenomenon Of Life: A Biologist Examines Life From Molecules To Humanity

Self and Emotion 195

“9x6” b2726 Self and the Phenomenon of Life: A Biologist Examines Life from Molecules to Humanity

by nonthreatening stimuli if their neocortex was removed. This phe-
nomenon, called “sham rage,” demonstrates that outward emotional
expression is possible without a biological purpose.^8 Humans, also, can
be manipulated into a state of euphoria, anger, or amusement in the
absence of a good reason.^36 However, for an emotional response to be
biologically adaptive and useful, a high level evaluator of the stimulus is
required.
Normally, every stimulus carries a survival value. Most stimuli are
neutral and therefore ignored, but some are either good or bad and
should be reacted to accordingly. It is as if a value spectrum goes from
the worst at one end to the best at the other. Emotion provides a driving
force to act when the value approaches either end. The presence of an
appraiser avoids the unnecessary waste of energy when a response is not
called for.
Figure 9.5 illustrates my point. Picture yourself as a wild animal in
the African savanna, where one either eats others or is eaten by them.
When a zebra encounters a lion (predator), it has to turn away and run
fast to save its life (an escape behavior). But when a lion sees a zebra
(prey), it will also run, this time in the direction of the object (a chase
behavior). Both are moving at top speed, with respiration and heartbeat
working at full throttle, and adrenalin gushing through the blood stream.

Fig. 9.5. Appraisal function in an emotional situation. An appraiser evaluates the
adaptive value of a stimulus and decides whether an animal should respond positively,
negatively, or not at all, and with how much intensity. Note that the appraiser not only
determines the forcefulness but also the direction of the action. Emotional expression
resulting from sympathetic discharge is quite similar even for opposite situations.