Discuss the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion.
What will be an ideal response?
The Cannon-Bard theory of emotion rejects the view that physiological arousal alone leads to the perception of emotion. Instead, the theory assumes that both physiological arousal and the emotional experience are produced simultaneously by the same nerve stimulus, which emanates from the thalamus in the brain.
The theory states that after humans perceive an emotion-producing stimulus, the thalamus is the initial site of the emotional response. Next, the thalamus sends a signal to the autonomic nervous system, thereby producing a visceral response. At the same time, the thalamus also communicates a message to the cerebral cortex regarding the nature of the emotion being experienced. Hence, it is not necessary for different emotions to have unique physiological patterns associated with them-as long as the message sent to the cerebral cortex differs according to the specific emotion.
The Cannon-Bard theory seems to have been accurate in rejecting the view that physiological arousal alone accounts for emotions. However, the simultaneous occurrence of the physiological and emotional responses, which is a fundamental assumption of the Cannon-Bard theory, has yet to be demonstrated conclusively.
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