Persuasive Communication - How Audiences Decide. 2nd Edition

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

322 Understanding Emotional Decision Making


judging themselves.^149 The emotions associated with one’s own norm violations are among the last


to appear developmentally.^150 Although children experience surprise, joy, anger, sadness, and fear


by the age of six months, they do not experience embarrassment, shame, or guilt until age three.^151


Figure 7.2 represents the audience’s appraisal sequence as a decision tree. Each branch on the

tree represents an appraisal in the appraisal sequence. An audience member either likes or dislikes a


surprising stimulus. If she likes it and it seems the stimulus is sure to happen, happiness results. If she


likes it but the stimulus may not happen, hope results. Happiness may transform into gratitude if


someone else is responsible for the stimulus. Happiness may transform into pride if her own efforts


are responsible for the stimulus. The appraisal of a disliked stimulus is parallel to that of a liked


stimulus except that a disliked stimulus may also be appraised for a norm violation.


In an innovative study designed to elicit a wide range of emotional reactions, a high-speed cam-

era captured participants’ facial expressions as they played an interactive videogame. Analysis of the


players’ facial expressions supports the idea of a fi xed emotional appraisal sequence. For example,


whenever players encountered an event that made it diffi cult for them to score, they would rapidly


raise their eyebrows, indicating the appraisal of unexpectedness, and then follow that behavior with


an immediate frown, indicating the appraisal of negative valence.^152


Figure 7.3 depicts the sequence of facial reactions of three players to three videogame events.

The three events elicited either fear, disappointment, or anger. The fi rst sequence shows a player’s


facial expressions after seeing a threatening videogame “enemy” suddenly appear. The player’s


initial neutral expression is followed by an expression of surprise, then dislike, and fi nally fear. The


second sequence shows a player’s facial expressions after she found out the game would become


much more diffi cult to play than she had realized. Her initial neutral expression is followed by


an expression of surprise, then dislike, and fi nally sadness or disappointment. The third sequence


shows a player’s facial expressions after she was told her video assistant would no longer be there to


help her. Her initial expression of surprise/dislike is followed by an expression of regret and then


anger.^153


Brain Regions Activated. The audience’s appraisal sequence has recently been explored by neu-

roscientists. They fi nd that the presentation of an emotionally signifi cant stimulus initially activates


The stimulus
differs from expected
Surprise

Promotes attainment of a value Blocks attainment of a value
Like Dislike

Is certain Is uncertain Is certain Is uncertain
Happiness/Relief Hope Unhappiness/Regret Fear
[Happy for] [Pity for]

Is caused Is caused Is caused Is caused
by another by oneself by someone by no one
Gratitude Pride Anger Sadness

Is a norm violation Is a norm violation
by another by oneself
Disgust Guilt/Shame

FIGURE 7.2 A Decision Tree Model of the Appraisal Sequence

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