Demonstrating the Influence of Cognition on Emotion and Behavior

Abstract

An exercise demonstrating the influence of cognitive processes on emotion and behavior is described. Students visualize themselves as having recently experienced the termination of an important male–female relationship. While doing so, they are exposed to one of three cognitive scenarios designed to generate feelings of depression, anger, or moderate sadness with a sense of coping. After each visualization, the nature and extent of emotional reactions and behavioral tendencies are noted and later related to class goals. Evaluation indicated that the scenarios produced different types and degrees of reported affect, suggesting that the exercise produces the desired results. Common uses of the exercise are described.