Constructed Emotion
Published:
THEORY OF CONSTRUCTED EMOTION
Think about a police officer who has been on the job for 12 hours and is about to clock out. After two cups of coffee, the officer returns to the cruiser and receives a call about a possible prowler. The cop is driving to the crime scene with a red face, a knotted stomach, and sweaty palms. When the police officer returns to the same area a few minutes later, he finds a loitering teen talking on the phone. The teen looks downcast as they catch sight of the cop and runs away. The officer orders the child to hang up, face them, and respond to a series of questions. The officer’s perception of the current situation as dangerous may factor in the officer’s physiological responses, such as a racing heart, sweating, tense stomach, and flushed face. The officer will likely interpret the situation with the loitering teenager as tense and the teenager as hostile because they do not know the possible causes for these emotions. As a result, the police officer might react violently.