Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T09:37:31.276Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 3 - A Two-Way Road

Efferent and Afferent Pathways of Autonomic Activity in Emotion

from Section II - Measuring Emotional Responses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2013

By
Neil A. Harrison ,
Sylvia D. Kreibig  and
Hugo D. Critchley
Edited by
Jorge Armony  and
Patrik Vuilleumier
Jorge Armony
Affiliation:
McGill University, Montréal
Patrik Vuilleumier
Affiliation:
Université de Genève
Get access

Summary

In the interaction of emotion and physiology, two important conceptualizations can be distinguished: efferent and afferent effects of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in emotion. Although the afferent and efferent definitions of emotional response are not mutually exclusive, the large majority of research on emotion has been based on the efferent conceptualization. This chapter draws on research findings in support of each conceptualization. It first considers the anatomy and central control of the ANS. The anatomical structure of the ANS and its central control constitute the basis for understanding autonomic effects of emotion. The chapter talks about neural feedback mechanisms, although hormonal, chemical, and physical feedback mechanisms may also operate through interactions with central components of this neural pathway. Various neural feedback mechanisms exist that allow for the transmission of information on homeostatic parameters. The exact nature and role of peripheral physiological responses to emotional feelings remain to be determined.
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Human Affective Neuroscience , pp. 82 - 106
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×