Lazarus 1982
Lazarus 1982
ABSTRACT: This paper argues that thought is a nec- the person and the environment. The appraisal
essary condition of emotion. It therefore opposes the process gives rise to a particular emotion with
•stance taken by Zajonc, which reflects two widespread greater or lesser intensity depending on how the
misunderstandings about what is meant by cognitive relationship is evaluated with respect to the per-
processes in emotion: (a) that a cognitive appraisal of
son's well-being. Cognitive appraisal means that
the significance of an encounter for one's well-being
the way one interprets one's plight at any given
must occur in fixed stages through the information
moment is crucial to the emotional response.
processing of initially meaningless inputs from the en-
vironment; and (b) that such an appraisal is necessarily Cognition and emotion are usually fused in na-
deliberate, rational, and conscious. Some of the phy- ture (Folkman, Schaefer, & Lazarus, 1979), al-
logenetic and ontogenetic implications of a cognitive though they can be dissociated in certain unusual
theory of emotion are also discussed briefly. or abnormal states. For example, cognitive coping
processes (cf. Lazarus, 1981) such as isolation and
Recent years have seen a major change in the way intellectualization (or detachment), which are
psychologists view emotion—the rediscovery that aimed at regulating feelings, can create a disso-
emotions are products of cognitive processes. The ciation between thoughts and feelings. Moreover,
emotional response is elicited by an evaluative per- attack can occur without anger, and avoidance
ception in lower animals, and in humans by a com- without fear. These latter conditions are also in-
plex 'cognitive appraisal of the significance of stances in which the usual link between thought
events for one's well-being. and feeling has been loosened or broken. Yet such
Although there are many other issues concerning separations are less often a rule of living and more
the relations between emotion and cognition, my often a product of coping under special circum-
comments will focus on the role of thought in the stances. The full experience of emotion (as opposed
emotional response. I will refer often to Zajonc's to sham rage, for example) normally includes three
(1980) challenge to the assumption that cognition fused components: thoughts, action impulses, and
occurs prior to emotion. I use his views to illustrate somatic disturbances. When these components are
widespread misunderstandings of what it means dissociated we are left with something other than
to speak of cognition as a causal antecedent of what we mean by a true emotional state. Our the-
emotion; I also use his views as a point of departure ories of emotion must reflect the normal fusion,
for rny argument that cognitive activity is a nec- and separating thoughts, action impulses, and so^
essary as well as sufficient condition of emotion. matic disturbances except under certain specifi-
able conditions (as was done in the old days of
faculty psychology—which treated cognition,
Do Emotions Require Cognitive emotion, and motivation as independent entities)
Mediation? distorts rather than clarifies the structure of the
mind (cf. Lazarus, Coyne, & Folkman, 1982).
My own position on this question is a variant of One bit of fallout from the above analysis is the
a family of theories of emotion centered on the implication, often derived from statements of cog-
concept of cognitive appraisal. Campos and Stern- nitive theory, that cognitive appraisal is a necessary
berg (1981) state, for example, that "The recent
history of the study of emotion has been dominated I wish to thank my research colleague, Susan Folkman, and my
by approaches stressing cognitive factors. In the- secretary, Carol Carr, for providing substantial editorial advice
ories of adult emotional response, cognitive ap- on this article. I appreciate their skill and judgment.
Requests for reprints should be sent to Richard S. Lazarus,
praisal now functions as the central construct" (p. Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley,
273). Its role is, to mediate the relationship between 4105 Tolman Hall, Berkeley, California 94720.