The James-Lange theory of emotion suggests that physical changes in the body happen first, which then leads to the experience of emotion.
Essentially, emotions stem from your interpretation of your physical sensations. For example, your heart beating wildly would lead you to realize that you are afraid.
Background
This theory is one of the earliest attempts to explain what causes emotions.
Proposed independently by psychologist William James and physiologist Carl Lange, the James-Lange theory of emotion suggested that emotions occur as a result of physiological reactions to events.
How Does the James-Lange Theory Work?
According to this theory, witnessing an external stimulus leads to a physiological response. Your emotional reaction depends on how you interpret those physical reactions.
Example
Suppose you are walking in the woods, and you see a grizzly bear. You begin to tremble, and your heart begins to race. The James-Lange theory proposes that you will interpret your physical reactions and conclude that you are frightened (“I am trembling. Therefore I am afraid.”)
William James explained, “My thesis, on the contrary, is that the bodily changes follow directly the PERCEPTION of the exciting fact and that our feeling of the same changes as they occur IS the emotion.”
For another example, imagine that you are walking through a dark parking garage toward your car. You notice a dark figure trailing behind you and your heart begins to race. According to the James-Lange theory, you then interpret your physical reactions to the stimulus as fear. Therefore, you feel frightened and rush to your car as quickly as you can.
Both James and Lange believed that without the actual physiological response that they believed precipitated the emotions, it would be impossible to experience these emotions “on demand.”
Impact of the James-Lange Theory
Prior to the James-Lange theory, the standard line of thought was that people’s first reaction to perception was cognitive.
Physical responses then occurred as a reaction to that thought. The James-Lange approach instead suggested that these physiological responses occur first and that they play a major role in the experience of emotion.
While it might seem like a small distinction in the sequence of events, the theory had an important impact on psychology and the understanding of emotions.
The German psychologist Wilhelm Wundt was one of the first to critique the theory. He instead suggested that emotions were a primal, hard-wired sensory response.
James-Lange Theory Criticisms
One major criticism of the theory was that neither James nor Lange based their ideas upon anything that remotely resembled controlled experiments. Instead, the theory was largely the result of introspection and correlational research.
Another issue with the theory is that when tested by applying electrical stimulation, applying stimulation to the same site does not lead to the same emotions every time.
Factors such as the individual’s existing mental state, cues in the environment, and the reactions of other people can all play a role in the resulting emotional response.
Support for the James-Lange Theory
While it seems as if the James-Lange theory should be nothing more than something you might study for its historical significance, it maintains its relevance today because researchers continue to find evidence that supports at least some parts of James’s and Lange’s original ideas.
The introduction of new technology allowed psychology to get a better understanding of how the brain and body respond during an emotional reaction.
Some other evidence in support of the theory includes brain scan studies that have revealed that basic emotions elicit distinct patterns of activity in neural networks in the brain.
Studies also suggest that the perception of internal physical states plays a role in how people experience emotions.