This image represents the “Cannon-Bard’s Theory” that the thalamus sends the triggering event’s (growling dog) signals, and both the physiological arousal and experience of emotion occur at the same time.Ĭannon also observed that the thalamus is responsible for the emotional processes, but the person can try to suppress their emotions with the help of the cerebral cortex. The signals transmitted to the autonomic nervous system are responsible for various physiological changes such as sweating, muscle tensing, and trembling. The cerebral cortex (the brain’s largest part) performs various information processing functions like perception, sensation, memory, and controlling conscious thoughts or actions. The amygdala is an important part of the limbic system of the brain it is located in the temporal lobe, which is responsible for processing various emotional responses. This theory is also referred to as the ‘thalamic theory of emotions’ because the thalamus is responsible for the experience of emotions, and its main functions involve motor control, transmitting visual/auditory signals, and sensory signals to the amygdala, the cerebral cortex, and to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) if the person encounters any triggering event. Thalamus is a small structure present between the midbrain and cerebral cortex (near the centre of the brain), and it has nerve fibre connections with both the midbrain and cerebral cortex. He stated that both these reactions simultaneously originate in the thalamus. Cannon-Bard’s Theory of EmotionĪccording to Cannon-Bard’s theory of emotion, any outward stimuli trigger both the emotional and the physiological reactions of the person at the same time. They together proposed Cannon-Bard’s theory of emotion in 1927. One of Cannon’s doctoral students, Phillip Bard (1898-1977), also acknowledged his idea, and he continued his research along with the cannon. He emphasized that both the physiological and emotional changes occur at the same time on encounter with any outward stimuli, and both these reactions are independent of each other, i.e., the person can still feel the emotional changes even if the bodily responses information has not yet been received by the brain. However, Cannon criticized James-Lange’s theory that emotions are the result of the physiological changes perceived by the brain. This image represents “James-Lange’s Theory” that the person experiences the emotion of fear after the physiological arousal. For example, if a person is walking on the road and suddenly, a street dog starts barking (outward stimuli) at that person, this may result in the rapid breathing, high heart-beat, and trembling (physiological changes) of the person, and his brain perceives these physiological changes, and the person feels the emotion of fear, i.e., the person experiences fear because of the physiological changes. This theory states that any outward stimuli cause physiological changes such as sweating, muscle tension, faster heartbeat, and trembling, and these changes are detected by the brain, and the limbic system of the brain recognizes these changes as emotions, i.e., the person experiences the emotions after the physiological changes detected by the brain. In the late 1880s, the James-Lange Theory of emotions, proposed by William James and Carl Lange, was very popular. He is also one of the other researchers who tried to explain the factors related to human emotions. He earned a Master of Arts degree (1897) and Doctorate in Medicine (1900) from Harvard University, and after his doctorate, he worked as a professor at Harvard University. In 1896, he completed his graduation and was awarded a Harvard Scholarships for his excellent academic skills. He was the first person who began the use of X-rays in various physiological researches. Walter Bradford Cannon (1871-1945) was an American physiologist and neurologist. Criticism of Cannon-Bard’s Theory of Emotion.Support of Cannon-Bard’s Theory of Emotion.Understanding Cannon’s Theory of Stress.Research Model of Cannon-Bard’s Theory of Emotion.
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