Abstract

In this study, we examined startle reactions in which the subjects did and did not know when a blank pistol would be fired. In addition, we asked subjects to suppress their startle response and to simulate a startle when there was no gunshot. Detailed measurement of facial muscular actions supported most of the findings reported by Landis and Hunt (1939), but our findings suggested that startle be considered a reflex not an emotion. The findings are considered in terms of current disagreements about exactly what constitutes an emotion, including the argument between Zajonc (1980) and Lazarus (1984) about the role of appraisal.

Keywords

PsychologySocial psychologyMoro reflexCognitive psychologyDevelopmental psychologyReflexNeuroscience

MeSH Terms

ArousalEmotionsFemaleHumansMaleReflexStartleSetPsychology

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Publication Info

Year
1985
Type
article
Volume
49
Issue
5
Pages
1416-1426
Citations
199
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Paul Ekman, Wallace V. Friesen, Ronald C. Simons (1985). Is the startle reaction an emotion?. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 49 (5) , 1416-1426. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.49.5.1416

Identifiers

DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.49.5.1416
PMID
4078682

Data Quality

Data completeness: 81%