Which of the following criteria are most closely related to the stages of emotional experience according to psychological theories?

• A. Problem-solving ability, motor coordination, and sleep patterns
• B. Memory encoding, attention span, and intelligence quotient
• C. Appraisal, physiological response, and behavioral expression
• D. Genetic inheritance, cultural background, and language acquisition

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that psychological theories of emotional experience often describe emotions as unfolding in stages or components, which typically include how we evaluate a situation, how our body reacts, and how we express the emotion behaviorally.
2. Identify the key stages commonly recognized in emotional experience: appraisal (how we interpret or evaluate an event), physiological response (bodily changes like heart rate or hormonal shifts), and behavioral expression (observable actions like facial expressions or gestures).
3. Compare the given options to these stages: problem-solving ability, motor coordination, and sleep patterns do not directly relate to emotional stages; memory encoding, attention span, and intelligence quotient are cognitive functions but not specific to emotional stages; genetic inheritance, cultural background, and language acquisition are broader influences but not stages of emotional experience.
4. Recognize that 'appraisal, physiological response, and behavioral expression' directly correspond to the stages of emotional experience as described in psychological theories.
5. Conclude that the correct criteria related to the stages of emotional experience are appraisal, physiological response, and behavioral expression.