Embodiment in Emotion Processing

University Of California-San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

The present program of research examines the means by which individuals process emotional information. The guiding framework holds that emotion processing involves "embodiment", or the activation of emotion-relevant sensory-motor and somatic states in the individual. In that framework, embodiment occurs not only when an emotion-eliciting object is physically present to the perceiver, but also when the emotion object is referred to by internal symbols (thoughts) or external symbols (e.g., words). To understand the role of sensory-motor and somatic states in emotion processing, planned experiments will investigate classic phenomena in social psychology. These phenomena include the perception of and memory for facial expressions of emotion, the use of emotion concepts, and the influence of emotional states on judgment. The experiments will measure both behavioral and physiological indicators of embodiment to assess the mutual influence between the sensory-motor states and emotion processing. The expected findings should provide the basis of a coherent account of embodiment in the perception and manipulation of emotional information. By extension, this research can put our understanding of the processing of all social concepts on a novel theoretical footing. The research is also likely to have broader scientific impact. For instance, the embodiment framework suggests a new way to define emotional dysfunctions, and points to more effective treatments that target the sensory-motor and somatic components of the emotion process. It also suggests a scientifically productive way to conceptualize the acquisition and change of emotionally-charged beliefs and memories, including dysfunctional social attitudes, such as prejudice. Finally, the project has the potential to revise our understanding of learning in general by highlighting the critical role of imagery, gesture, and action. Once re-conceptualized in this way, new methods of teaching can be developed that explicitly involve sensory-motor experience in the building of both emotional and non-emotional knowledge and skills.