Is it important to consciously interpret and label emotions in order to explain them? Discuss giving suitable examples.

Most psychologists today believe that our cognitions, i.e., our perceptions, memories, interpretations are essential ingredients of emotions. Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer have proposed a two-factor theory in which emotions have two ingredients: physical arousal and a cognitive label. They presumed that our experience of emotion grows from our awareness of our present arousal. They also believed that emotions are physiologically similar. For example our heart beats faster when we are excited or scared or angry. We are physiologically aroused and look to the external world for explanation. Thus, in their view an emotional experience requires a conscious interpretation arousal.

If a person is aroused after physical exercise and some one teases him, the arousal already caused by the exercise may lead to provocation.

To test this theory, Schachter and Singer (1962) injected subjects with epinephrine, a drug that produces high arousal. Then these subjects were made to observe the behaviour of others, either in an euphoric manner or in an angry manner. As predicted, the euphoric and angry behaviour of others influenced the cognitive interpretation of the subjects own arousal.