[Possibilities for integration of emotions in theoretical principles of cognitive psychology]

Abstract

Different approaches to integrate emotion and cognition can be differentiated. On the one hand emotions can be part of an associative network of long-term memory (Bower, 1981; Bower & Cohen, 1982; Lang, 1979, 1984). On the other hand emotions are said to function as mediators that instigate different processing strategies (Fiedler, 1988; Isen, 1984, 1987; Kuhl, 1983 b). Both approaches can be integrated within the framework of ACT* (Anderson, 1983) assuming emotion nodes as parts of the declarative memory and emotion related productions as parts of the procedural memory (Spies & Hesse, 1986). A third approach claims that emotions change the amount of processing capacity available for task related processes (Ellis & Ashbrook, 1988; Kuhl, 1983 b; Spies & Hesse, 1986). The theoretical positions as well as related empirical results are discussed by referring to the literature as well as to some of our own data.