Appraisal Theory and Ove
1. Appraisal Theory
When we are in a particular situation, we tend to evaluate the significance of the situation by considering its effect on our well-being which is driven by our goals, values, needs, and so on. This cognitive process is called appraisal, which can be divided into good or bad appraisal depending on whether our perception of the event is positive (beneficial) or negative (harmful). Appraisal theorists believed that appraisal causes emotional changes and creates specific emotional responses. Thus, good appraisal causes us to experience liking emotion whereas bad appraisal leads us to experience disliking emotion. However, an appraisal can be changed depending on the preceding cognitive process, which means our emotions can be changed according to the changed appraisal. Emotion affected by appraisal has influence on our future action tendencies and coping behaviors. Liking emotion motivates us to have an approaching tendency to the situation while disliking emotion motivates us to have an avoiding tendency. To apply the appraisal theory to a specific situation, suppose we see a snake approaching us while hiking. We will appraise the situation as bad because the snake can attack us. This bad appraisal can cause disliking emotions (e.g., feeling scared). This emotion will generate an avoiding tendency toward the snake, thus we may choose to detour the different trails to avoid the snake.
When we are in a particular situation, we tend to evaluate the significance of the situation by considering its effect on our well-being which is driven by our goals, values, needs, and so on. This cognitive process is called appraisal, which can be divided into good or bad appraisal depending on whether our perception of the event is positive (beneficial) or negative (harmful). Appraisal theorists believed that appraisal causes emotional changes and creates specific emotional responses. Thus, good appraisal causes us to experience liking emotion whereas bad appraisal leads us to experience disliking emotion. However, an appraisal can be changed depending on the preceding cognitive process, which means our emotions can be changed according to the changed appraisal. Emotion affected by appraisal has influence on our future action tendencies and coping behaviors. Liking emotion motivates us to have an approaching tendency to the situation while disliking emotion motivates us to have an avoiding tendency. To apply the appraisal theory to a specific situation, suppose we see a snake approaching us while hiking. We will appraise the situation as bad because the snake can attack us. This bad appraisal can cause disliking emotions (e.g., feeling scared). This emotion will generate an avoiding tendency toward the snake, thus we may choose to detour the different trails to avoid the snake.
2. Primary and Secondary Appraisal
The appraisal process is continuous as we revise our perception about the situation. In this process, once our appraisal is changed, changed emotion follows. Here, primary appraisal evaluates if the situation we face is relevant to our physical and psychological well-being, goal, self-esteem, and so on. Based on the relevance between the situation and our well-being, we may appraise the situation as beneficial, harmful, or threatening. With the secondary appraisal, we look into our coping strategies toward the possible benefit, harm, or threat. We may come up with some cognitive, emotional, and behavioral efforts to increase the benefit and decrease the harm or threat. Secondary appraisal reflects on the efficacy of such coping strategies.
3. Appraisal Theory and Ove
One day, Ove went to the train station wearing a fancy suit. Ove waited for a train to pass to commit suicide. While waiting, the man next to Ove suddenly collapsed and fell onto the track. Ove’s primary appraisal would not like this situation because the unexpected event can disturb to achieve his goal which is to commit suicide. So, Ove initially decided to ignore the situation. However, soon Ove noticed that nobody in the train station readily tries to save the guy even when a train is coming. Thus, Ove felt guilty following his primary appraisal. Ove thought he could postpone his plan to commit suicide but saving the guy should not be delayed. Ove’s secondary appraisal would evaluate his coping strategy as beneficial for the guy in danger but as not beneficial to Ove’s goal. However, because eliminating the sense of guilt was more important for Ove, he finally jumped into the trail and helped the guy move up to the platform. After making sure the man was okay and recalling the train driver’s shocked expression, Ove was relieved to realize that it was a better idea to postpone his original plan. But at the same time, because his own suicide plan had failed, he was in a bad mood. Also, he felt disappointed because he could not achieve his original goal.
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