2. Abstract
Emotions are multifaceted, but a key aspect of emotion involves the
assessment of the value of environmental stimuli. This article reviews the many
psychological representations, including representations of stimulus value,
which are formed in the brain during Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning
tasks. These representations may be related directly to the functions of cortical
and subcortical neural structures. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) appears to
be required for a Pavlovian conditioned stimulus (CS) to gain access to the
current value of the specific unconditioned stimulus (US) that it predicts, while
the central nucleus of the amygdala acts as a controller of brainstem arousal
and response systems, and subserves some forms of stimulus-response
Pavlovian conditioning.
3. The nucleus accumbens, which appears not to be required for knowledge
of the contingency between instrumental actions and their
outcomes, nevertheless influences instrumental behaviour strongly by
allowing Pavlovian CSs to affect the level of instrumental responding
(Pavlovian-instrumental transfer), and is required for the normal ability of
animals to choose rewards that are delayed. The prelimbic cortex is
required for the detection of instrumental action-outcome
contingencies, while insular cortex may allow rats to retrieve the values of
specific foods via their sensory properties. The orbitofrontal cortex, like the
BLA, may represent aspects of reinforcer value that govern instrumental
choice behaviour. Finally, the anterior cingulate cortex, implicated in human
disorders of emotion and attention, may have multiple roles in responding
to the emotional significance of stimuli and to errors in
performance, preventing responding to inappropriate stimuli.
4. Emotion and motivation go together hand in hand.
Indeed, emotions play an important part in our lives, and
even more so in self improvement. Often times,
Emo
tion
and
moti
vati
on
go
toge
ther
hand
in
successful people are those who know how to take
hand
.
Inde
ed, e
moti
ons
play
an
impo
rtan
t
part
in
our
lives
, and
even
mor
e so
in
self
impr
ove
men
t.
Ofte
n
time
control of their emotions and use it to their benefit.
s, su
ccess
ful
peop
le
are
thos
e
who
kno
w
how
to
take
cont
rol
of
their
emo
tions
and
use
it to
their
bene
fit.
The
best
spor
tsme
n
and
wom
en
are
able
to
stay
calm
in
the
heat
of
the
com
petit
ion.
And
whe
neve
r
they
mee
t
setb
acks,
The best sportsmen and women are able to stay calm in
they
usua
lly
com
e
right
back
imm
edia
tely
with
a
crus
hing
perf
orm
ance
and
winn
ing
stre
ak.
the heat of the competition. And whenever they meet
setbacks, they usually come right back immediately with
a crushing performance and winning streak.
