AAMC FL Practice Exam

According to the Schachter-Singer theory, to experience emotion one must do which of the following?

1. Be physically aroused and cognitively label the arousal

2. Be emotionally stable and socially accepted

3. Perceive threat and respond defensively

4. Be aware of social cues and act accordingly

The correct answer is: Be physically aroused and cognitively label the arousal

The Schachter-Singer theory, also known as the two-factor theory of emotion, posits that an emotion is experienced as the result of two key components: physiological arousal and a cognitive label that is assigned to that arousal. According to this theory, when a person encounters a stimulus that induces physiological arousal, they then engage in a cognitive appraisal to label that arousal based on the context of the situation. This cognitive labeling is what ultimately leads to the experience of a specific emotion. For instance, if an individual sees a bear in the woods, they would experience an increase in heart rate and adrenaline (the physiological arousal). Upon recognizing the bear as a threatening presence, they cognitively interpret that arousal as fear. Thus, the combination of feeling physical arousal and attributing a label to that arousal is essential for the experience of emotion in this framework. In contrast, the other answer choices do not align with the Schachter-Singer theory's requirements for emotion. Being emotionally stable and socially accepted does not directly relate to the experience of emotion as defined by the two-factor theory. Likewise, perceiving a threat and responding defensively does not account for the necessary cognitive labeling aspect. Lastly, while being aware of social cues can