Edit page | Page history | Printable version

Definition

noun

A theory on emotion formulated and published by William James in 1884, which assumes that bodily changes occur when a stimulus is perceived and awareness of these bodily changes makes the emotion to be experienced (or felt).

Supplement

Historically, Jame's theory on emotion is the first to depict emotion in a scientific approach. It was the first to contradict the old popular notion wherein the perception of the stimulus produced the experience of emotion, which in turn, brought about the physiological changes.

Many studies then followed to expand the understanding on emotion. One of which is the study done by Walter Cannon, who formulated a theory as an argument to the theory of William James.

Synonym:

• Jame's theory
• James-Lange theory

Compare: Hypothalamic theory