PSGY2014 - Emotion

What are emotions?

Based on what you have learnt so far, what are the brain structures that you think are involved in our experience of emotions?

How could Anxiety and Fear be characterised based on the nature of stimuli that elicit them?

• A state caused by the presence of a positive reinforcer

• A state caused by the presence of an aversive stimulus

• A state caused by the termination of a punishment

• A state caused by the omission or termination of an aversive stimulus

Hippocampal lesions increase the time rats spend in the open arms of an elevated plus maze. What does this finding indicate?

• Hippocampal lesions cause anxiety

• Hippocampus does not play a role in anxiety

• Hippocampal lesions reduce anxiety

What is operant/instrumental conditioning?

Rewarding stimuli increase dopamine transmission in NAc. Animals work to increase dopamine stimulation within NAc, and dopamine antagonists block some behavioural effects of rewards (such as approach or lever pressing). These findings are consistent with which hypothesis?

• NAc dopamine causes ‘pleasure’ (liking).

• NAc dopamine causes ‘desire’ (wanting).

• Both of the remaining answers could be correct

Which of the following is an objective behavioural measure of liking (the experience of pleasure)

• Changes in facial expressions

• Changes in lever pressing behaviour

• Changes in heart rate

• None of the remaining answers is correct