Using the James-Lange theory of emotion, one would have a physical response before the emotion. Therefore, if a person was walking alone at night and heard footsteps behind them, they would have a bodily response first. Their heart would start pounding and their hands would start shaking which would be followed by the interpretation of that as fear. The person would think, “I am afraid because my heart rate is accelerated and my hands are trembling.” When considering the Cannon-Bard theory, the brain would send signals to the cortex and the sympathetic nervous system at the same time. So when the person hears the eery footsteps, their heart would pound and they would feel fear synchronously. the person would most likely feel that “My heart is racing and I am feeling scared at the same time.” Similarly, with the Schachter-Singer method, there are also two steps occurring in conjunction. This theory would say that one would have a physical response, identify its cause or purpose and then realize their emotion. Referring back to the example, upon hearing the footsteps the subject would begin to shake, understand that they are shaking because of a potential threat and then feel fear. They would summarize this by saying, “the ominous footsteps are threatening and that makes me feel terrified.” Although these theories have different sequences of response, they all result in the manifestation of an emotion.
Using the James-Lange theory of emotion, one would have a physical response before the emotion. Therefore, if a person was walking alone at night and heard footsteps behind them, they would have a bodily response first. Their heart would start pounding and their hands would start shaking which would be followed by the interpretation of that as fear. The person would think, “I am afraid because my heart rate is accelerated and my hands are trembling.” When considering the Cannon-Bard theory, the brain would send signals to the cortex and the sympathetic nervous system at the same time. So when the person hears the eery footsteps, their heart would pound and they would feel fear synchronously. the person would most likely feel that “My heart is racing and I am feeling scared at the same time.” Similarly, with the Schachter-Singer method, there are also two steps occurring in conjunction. This theory would say that one would have a physical response, identify its cause or purpose and then realize their emotion. Referring back to the example, upon hearing the footsteps the subject would begin to shake, understand that they are shaking because of a potential threat and then feel fear. They would summarize this by saying, “the ominous footsteps are threatening and that makes me feel terrified.” Although these theories have different sequences of response, they all result in the manifestation of an emotion.