Psychology: A Self-Teaching Guide

(b) An emotion is, at the physiological level, a disruption in baselines.

Answers: (a) Exit; motion; (b) homeostatic.

It is evident from the above that there are two basic psychological dimensions

to emotions: excitement-calm and pleasant-unpleasant. The pleasant-unpleasant

dimension of emotions is identified as hedonic tone.The concept of hedo-

nism,as presented by the philosopher Aristotle, was a motivational concept.

Hedonism is the point of view that we approach stimulus situations that are pleas-

ant and avoid situations that are unpleasant.

The two dimensions of emotions generate four categories of emotions: (1)

excitement-pleasant, (2) excitement-unpleasant, (3) calm-pleasant, and (4) calm-

unpleasant. All of the many words that we use to describe emotions can be read-

ily placed in one of these categories. Words such as happy, joy,and ecstasybelong

in category 1. Words such as anger, fear,and ragebelong in category 2. Words such

as relaxed, blissful,and tranquilbelong in category 3. Words such as sad, melancholy,

and depressedbelong in category 4.

(a) What are the two basic psychological dimensions of emotions? and

(b) Proposed by Aristotle, what is the philosophical viewpoint that we approach stimulus sit-
uations that are pleasant and avoid situations that are unpleasant?

(c) The two dimensions of emotions generate how many categories of emotions?

Answers: (a)Excitement-calm; pleasant-unpleasant; (b) Hedonism; (c) Four.

Emotions: Riding Life’s Roller Coaster 109

Excitement

Calm

Pleasant Unpleasant

Arousal

Hedonic tone

The two basic dimensions of emotions.