Emotion and cognition – IB Psychology Standard Level Revision

Emotion and Cognition: An Overview

Emotion and cognition are interconnected mental processes, and neither can accurately be understood without the influence of the other.
Emotions can affect how we process and remember information, while our cognitive processes, such as perception and memory, can influence our emotional responses.
This cognitive-emotional interaction can significantly impact our decision-making, memory, attention, and perception.

Emotion can influence cognition through selectively attending to emotional information.
Emotional experiences often create powerful memories, known as flashbulb memories, that are remembered more vividly and for longer durations.
Emotional state during learning can influence recall; this is often referred to as state-dependent memory.
Emotion can affect decision-making processes. For instance, emotions can bias our perception and interpretation of information, leading to decisions that are not strictly rational or logical.

Conversely, cognitive processes are pivotal in determining emotional responses.
Perception and appraisal of an event determine how we emotionally respond to it. This is known as the cognitive appraisal theory of emotions.
Our memories and knowledge can influence our emotions. Recalling a joyful moment can elicit happiness, while thinking about a sad event can cause sadness.
Cognition may also regulate emotions. For example, we can use cognitive strategies like reappraising a situation or suppressing thoughts to control our emotions.

The interaction between emotion and cognition is a complex, bidirectional process.
This interplay can be observed in various psychological phenomena. For instance, depression is characterized by negative cognitive biases that result in persistent negative emotions.
Likewise, anxiety disorders are often associated with cognitive biases towards threatening information.
Understanding the interplay between emotion and cognition can be paramount in informing treatments for such psychological disorders.

Our emotional states can give rise to a number of cognitive biases.
One such bias is the mood-congruent memory bias, where individuals are more likely to remember information that is in line with their current mood.
Additionally, negative emotions often lead to a pessimistic bias in expectation, known as the negativity bias.
Understanding these biases can help us comprehend how emotion influences our cognition and behaviour.