Comment: The Appraising Brain: Towards a Neuro-Cognitive Model of Appraisal Processes in Emotion

Abstract

Appraisal theories have described elaborate mechanisms underlying the elicitation of emotion at the psychological-cognitive level, but typically do not integrate neuroscientific concepts and findings. At the same time, theoretical developments in appraisal theory have been pretty much ignored by researchers studying the neuroscience of emotion. We feel that a stronger integration of these two literatures would be highly profitable for both sides. Here we outline a blueprint of the "appraising brain." To this end, we review neuroimaging research investigating the processing of major appraisal variables, and sketch a neuro-cognitive process model of appraisal with a special emphasis on the chronometry and the recursive aspect of emotional evaluation. We hope that this contribution will stimulate more hypothesis-driven research on the neuroscience of appraisal.

Appraising value: The role of universal core values and emotions in decision-making

“…We have recently begun a line of research aimed at outlining the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying appraisal processes (Brosch & Sander, 2013a) and linking the concept of core values to neuroeconomic valuation and decision research (Brosch, Coppin, Scherer, Schwartz, & Sander, 2011;Brosch, Coppin, Schwartz, & Sander, 2012;Brosch & Sander, 2013b). In one fMRI study, we had participants with varying core value hierarchies participate in a donation task where they were asked to distribute a financial amount between themselves and a charitable organization (Brosch et al, 2011).…”

Affective Influences on Energy-Related Decisions and Behaviors

“…An important next research step will be to link individual appraisal structures and emotions not only to intentions to reduce energy use, but also to objective measures of actual behavior (e.g., actual energy use). At the conceptual level, psychological and neuroimaging research has shown that the appraisal process occurs very rapidly and in a partially automatic fashion (Grandjean and Scherer, 2008;Brosch and Sander, 2013a). Thus, not all aspects of the appraisal process are necessarily accessible to introspection and can be reported in a questionnaire.…”

“…Normative models such as the VBN already include core values, which play an important role in the elicitation of emotions (Nelissen et al, 2007;Brosch and Sander, 2013a) and their role in decision-making (Brosch and Sander, 2013b), as well as moral emotions such as guilt or shame that serve to motivate the normative function of social constraints. In this perspective, environmental-friendly behavior seems to be conceptualized as "morally correct" behavior, that is, people save energy to avoid violating a social norm, resulting in real or imagined social disapproval and feelings of guilt.…”

“…Appraisal theories of emotion claim that emotions are elicited as the individual automatically and continuously evaluates the information in one's environment, scanning for information that is relevant to one's concerns, goals, needs, and values (Ellsworth and Scherer, 2003;Moors, 2010). Psychological and neuroimaging research has helped to specify the evaluation criteria that are involved in the appraisal process, showing that the appraisal process is composed of very rapid automatic low-level processes as well as slower, more deliberate processes that together evaluate any incoming stimulus regarding the following criteria: relevance (does this directly affect me), implications (what does it mean for my well-being), coping potential (can I deal with the challenge), and congruency with moral considerations (is this appropriate with regards to my values and personal norms; see, e.g., Grandjean and Scherer, 2008;Moors, 2010;Brosch and Sander, 2013a;Gentsch et al, 2013).…”

“…In order to develop a parsimonious, theory-driven approach, we based the model on a body of research on appraisal processes that has identified the psychological and neural mechanisms underlying the main classes of appraisals that play important causal roles in the elicitation of emotion (Ellsworth and Scherer, 2003;Brosch and Sander, 2013a), and specified the appraisal classes by adapting them to the thematic of energy conservation. The model thus predicts that the following appraisals are important for the elicitation of emotions as well as for the prediction of important individual differences in energy-related decisions and behaviors: Different people will appraise the same situation differently as a function of their concerns, goals, needs, and values, and will thus react with different emotional responses to these situations.…”