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James-Lange Theory of Emotions

The James-Lange theory states that emotions are the perceptions of certain bodily changes. In other words, emotions are feelings that are caused by physiological changes induced by the autonomic nervous system. Such changes include the modifications of heart rate, muscular tension, skin conductance, etc. The theory derives from the basic observation that specific emotions always seem to involve feelings associated with specific parts of the body. Whenever I’m afraid, my muscles tighten and my heart races. In fact, it is arguable that a person could not have the fear emotion without a very specific set of corresponding physiological changes. The James-Lange theory suggests that the physiological changes are the cause of emotional feelings rather than the other way around. William James once pointed out that under his theory one could say that a person feels sad because he weeps, not that he weeps because he feels sad.

Although the James-Lange emphasis on the physiological basis of the emotions has reemerged as a favorite view among theorists, some problems remain. For example, the James-Lange theory does not seem to differentiate between the sorts of physiological changes that are to be considered emotions and those that are not. Shivering from the cold involves a whole number of perceived physiological changes, but we certainly do not count shivering as an emotion. Additionally, the emotions seem to involve at least some cognitive aspect over and above the physiological aspect. When I fear that there is an intruder in my house, this emotion seems to track some judgment about the world. If I discover that the intruder is nothing but my cat playing a loud midnight game, the emotion dissipates. Because of this, many thinkers have worked to develop a dual-aspect theory of the emotions that involves both the cognitive and physiological components, with varying degrees of emphasis.

Book Resources On James-Lange Theory of Emotions

Thinking About Feeling? by Robert C. Solomon
Looking for Spinoza by Antonio Damasio

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