Donnie was on the verge of experiencing road rage. The teenagers in front of him were reckless and disrespectful. Suddenly he realized that one of the boys was his brother and he began to laugh. Donnie's emotional response is best explained by:

A the James-Lange Theory of emotion.
B the Cannon-bard Theory of emotion.
C. the Schachter-Singer Theory of emotion.
D. the Affiliation Theory of emotion.

I'm trying to decide between C and D but I think D

I think its C

To determine the best explanation for Donnie's emotional response, we need to analyze the theories mentioned and consider how they relate to the given scenario.

A. The James-Lange Theory of emotion suggests that physiological responses precede and create emotions. In this theory, one's emotional experience is determined by the specific bodily response they experience. However, this theory does not directly address the social context of Donnie's situation, making it less applicable to his response.

B. The Cannon-Bard Theory of emotion proposes that emotional experiences and physiological responses occur simultaneously, independent of each other. According to this theory, Donnie's emotional response and physiological reactions would have occurred at the same time, meaning his realization about his brother being present may not have directly influenced his emotional state.

C. The Schachter-Singer Theory of emotion, also known as the Two-Factor Theory, suggests that physical responses and cognitive interpretations combine to create emotional experiences. According to this theory, Donnie's emotional response can be best explained by his cognitive interpretation of the situation upon realizing that the reckless teenagers were his brother and his subsequent laughter. Therefore, this theory seems more applicable in this scenario.

D. The Affiliation Theory of emotion does not exist as a well-known theory in psychology. Hence, D cannot be considered as the correct option.

In summary, based on the provided options, the most suitable explanation for Donnie's emotional response is C. the Schachter-Singer Theory of emotion.