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.
C
To find the answer to this question, we need to understand the different theories of emotion and determine which one best explains Donnie's emotional response.
The James-Lange Theory of emotion suggests that emotions are a result of physiological changes in our bodies. According to this theory, we feel an emotion because of our body's physiological response to a stimulus. For example, in this situation, Donnie might have experienced a rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, or other physical sensations associated with anger.
The Cannon-Bard Theory of emotion proposes that emotions and physiological responses occur simultaneously, rather than the physiological response causing the emotion. In this case, Donnie's emotion and physical response would occur at the same time.
The Schachter-Singer Theory of emotion, also known as the two-factor theory, suggests that our emotions depend on both physiological arousal and our cognitive interpretation of that arousal. According to this theory, Donnie's emotional response would be influenced by both his physiological response (such as the anger he initially felt) and his cognitive interpretation of the situation (realizing that one of the boys was his brother and finding it funny).
The Affiliation Theory of emotion, on the other hand, is not a recognized theory of emotion and does not provide a suitable explanation for Donnie's emotional response in this scenario.
Given the details of the scenario, the best explanation for Donnie's emotional response is the Schachter-Singer Theory of emotion (C), as it takes into account both physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation.