Evaluating a General Model of Emotional Appraisal and Coping

Introduction In our research, we have developed a general computational model of human emotion. The model attempts to account for both the factors that give rise to emotions as well as the wide-ranging impact emotions have on cognitive and behavioral responses. Emotions influence our beliefs, our decision-making and how we adapt our behavior to the world around us. While most apparent in moments of great stress, emotions sway even the mundane decisions we face in everyday life [1, 2]. Emotions also infuse our social relationships [3]. Our interactions with each other are a source of many emotions and we have developed a range of behaviors that can communicate emotional information as well as an ability to recognize and be influenced by the emotional arousal of others. By virtue of their central role and wide influence, emotion arguably provides the means to coordinate the diverse mental and physical components required to respond to the world in a coherent fashion [4].