Understanding the Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion

How the Cannon-Bard Theory Works

The thalamus alerts the amygdala when something significant happens. The amygdala is an oval-shaped region of the brain that is critical to the regulation of strong emotions like fear and anger. The thalamus is also responsible for sending signals to the autonomic nervous system, which causes the body to tense up, shake, and sweat.

Examples

Any experience to which you have an emotional response demonstrates the applicability of the Cannon-Bard theory. Though it's natural to associate the concept with bad emotions, it's also applicable to the more positive ones.

A Frightening Experience

Let's say you're trying to find your way through a parking garage at night. As you walk to your car, you notice a shadowy figure following you and hear what sounds like footsteps behind you.

Fear and the body's natural response to it occur simultaneously, under the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion. You'll start to feel anxious and your heart rate will increase. You bolt to your car, locking the doors behind you as you leave the garage in a hurry to go home.

A New Job

Let's pretend you're about to begin a new job. Starting a new job is never easy. There will be many opportunities for you to interact with new coworkers and establish positive working relationships as you take part in orientation, meetings, and training. According to the Cannon-Bard model, you'd show signs of stress in both your body and your mind at the same time. It's possible that anxiety and gastrointestinal problems will plague you.

A Date

Picture yourself on a date with a new acquaintance. You look forward to spending time with this individual because you feel so strongly about them. Feelings of elation and excitement are accompanied by the physical manifestations of clammy hands and a racing heart.

Comparison to Other Theories

When compared to the James-Lange theory of emotion, which holds that physiological responses precede and are the root cause of emotions, the Cannon-Bard hypothesis takes a different tack.

Although the James-Lange hypothesis was widely accepted at the time, Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon and his doctorate student Philip Bard disagreed with it because they believed it did not adequately account for the experiential nature of emotion.

James-Lange Theory

As a counterpoint to the James-Lange theory of feelings, Cannon-Bard theory was developed. The Cannon-Bard theory takes a neurological approach, while the James-Lange theory offered a physiological one.

According to William James, the first response to an environmental stimuli is a physiological one. When exposed to this stimuli, people have a physiological response that we call an emotion.

Schacter-Singer Theory

The Schacter-Singer theory of emotion (sometimes called the two-factor theory) is a relatively contemporary cognitive theory of emotion.

Schacter and Singer's hypothesis proposes that physiological arousal occurs first, but that such reactions are often comparable for diverse emotions. This idea is inspired by both the James-Lange theory and the Cannon and Bard theory. According to the hypothesis, in order to identify an emotion, it is necessary to provide a mental label to the corresponding physiological responses.

Criticisms

Cannon-Bard theory has been criticised for focusing too narrowly on the thalamus' significance in emotional processing and neglecting other brain regions. While the thalamus (which is part of the limbic system) is certainly involved in the emotional experience, newer studies reveal that the process is more nuanced than proposed by the Cannon-Bard theory.3

Article authors: Kleber FD, Zubaran C, Sander JW, Franceschini PR, and Roxo MR. The development of ideas on the limbic system across time. Journal of the Scientific World Report .

Several investigations have debunked the central tenet of Cannon-Bard theory, which holds that physiological responses do not result in emotional states. Humans are more likely to feel the emotions associated with specific facial expressions when they are prompted to make those expressions, according to studies.