According to the James-Lange theory of emotion, emotions are best described as which of the following?

• A. Unrelated to bodily changes and based solely on environmental cues
• B. The simultaneous experience of physiological arousal and emotional feeling
• C. The result of cognitive appraisal followed by physiological arousal
• D. The result of physiological arousal that is then interpreted as a specific emotion

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the James-Lange theory of emotion, which proposes a specific sequence in how emotions are experienced.
2. Recognize that according to this theory, an external stimulus first causes a physiological response in the body, such as increased heart rate or sweating.
3. Note that the theory suggests the brain then interprets these bodily changes, and this interpretation leads to the conscious experience of a specific emotion.
4. Contrast this with other theories, such as the Cannon-Bard theory, which argues that physiological arousal and emotional experience occur simultaneously, or the Schachter-Singer theory, which involves cognitive appraisal.
5. Summarize that the James-Lange theory emphasizes that emotions arise as a result of perceiving physiological changes, not independently or simultaneously with them.