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Chapter 10: Problem 23

Imagine you find a venomous snake crawling up your leg just after taking a drug that prevented sympathetic nervous system activation. What would the James-Lange theory predict about your experience?

Short Answer

Expert verified
According to the James-Lange theory, you would not feel fear or panic as the drug has inhibited the activation of your sympathetic nervous system, preventing the physiological reactions that translate into the experience of fear as per this theory.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the James-Lange Theory

The James-Lange theory of emotion suggests that our experiences of emotion stem from our physiological reactions to stimuli. According to this theory, witnessing an external stimulus leads to a physiological reaction. Our emotional reaction is dependent upon how we interpret those physical reactions.
02

Comprehending the Effect of Drug

In this situation, a drug has been taken which prevents the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system that becomes more active during times of stress, stimulating the fight-or-flight response. As a result of the drug, the physiological responses associated with fear, such as increased heart rate, perspiration, enlarged pupils etc., would not occur.
03

Predicting the Reaction

Given that the sympathetic nervous system's response is suppressed and under the James-Lange theory, emotion results from experiencing physiological changes, one wouldn't feel the fear normally associated with seeing a venomous snake crawling up body due to the absence of the physiological responses typically associated with fear.

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