JAMES LANG THEORY

This theory has become known as the James-Lange Theory of emotion, and the basic ideas behind it are very interesting indeed. Whereas we normally tend to think of our bodies and our faces changing to reflect the emotions which we are feeling, the James-Lange theory states that basically the opposite is true. Boiled down, this theory states that emotions come after our bodies react. For example, assume one was walking through the woods, and a large angry grizzly bear burst out. According to the James-Lange Theory, we would run from the bear automatically, and, in the course of our running, would discover that we were afraid based upon the bodies reaction to the stimulus. According to James-Lange, we feel emotions because we sense the change in our bodies. Thus, the physiological responses by our bodies to various situations are interpreted by our bodies and then our minds, based upon those responses, construe the emotion that we should be feeling.