Psychological Theories of Emotion

Psychological theories of emotion explore how and why we experience feelings. The James-Lange theory suggests that emotions arise from our body's physical reactions—like trembling or a racing heart—after a stimulus. The Cannon-Bard theory proposes that emotion and bodily responses happen simultaneously, independently triggered by the brain. The Schachter-Singer (Two-Factor) theory emphasizes that we interpret physiological arousal in context to label our emotions, such as realizing your racing heart means excitement or fear. Each theory offers a different perspective on how our thoughts, body, and environment interact to produce feelings.