Aspects of Emotion: Appraisal-Emotion Theory & Control Value Theory

Featuring a new fictional character, Giselle, this blog will explore the main aspects of appraisal theory of emotion and control-value theory. The blog outlines appraisal and important emotions, Giselle’s perceptions of control and value, and her specific emotions and motivations. Theories and examples are supported by integrating and explaining several key moments in the 2007 film, Enchanted.

In the first portion of the film, Giselle experiences a devastating turn of events: her fiancée’s evil stepmother pushes her into a magic wishing well! Instead of being in Andalasia, Giselle wakes up in the real world: New York City! The horror. Giselle walks aimlessly down the crowded streets, in search for her one true love, Edward, but to no avail. She is lost and all alone.

Giselle’s Appraisal: Important Emotions

Giselle experiences a wide range of emotions in alignment with the appraisal theory of emotion. Appraisal theory of emotion is the cognitive understanding of emotion (Reeve, 2009). The appraisal causes and elicits the emotion. But before appraisal happens, there must be a perception of a situation or event. People perceive a situation or event as either positive or negative. They make sense of it via appraisal, is this important to me and my environment? Is this beneficial or harmful?

Giselle makes an appraisal that she is in danger in New York City. It is nighttime. She is all alone in a strange place. Feeling threatened, she starts to cry, distraught with fear. She talks through her sadness to a lonely mendicant, taking comfort in the fact that at least someone is listening to her. But instead of helping her, the mendicant steals Giselle’s crown and runs off! Concluding that he meant her harm, Giselle becomes angry and runs after him, yelling, “You are not a very nice old man!” 

A loud thunderclap frightens Giselle, making her scream and run away. The next instant, Giselle finds herself in a rainstorm and her beautiful dress gets ruined. In these few moments of perception to appraisal of emotion, Giselle experiences a broad range of emotions: frustration, fear, sadness, soothing, surprise, anger, surprise again, and finally helplessness.

Control-Value Theory

Pekrun’s (2018) control-value theory observes that perceived control over and value of an event or situation over time is incredibly important. For example, a person feels positive emotions after they perceive they have control over subjectively important outcomes, like winning in a competition or receiving a good grade. Perceived control of achievement relation outcomes is linked to appraisals. If the action is important, and the expected outcome is achieved over time, the appraisal elicits positive emotions, like joy or pride. On the other hand, if the action is important and the expected outcome is not achieved over time, the appraisal elicits negative emotions, like anger or sadness. Let me explain two examples where control-value theory coincides with Giselle’s experiences throughout the film.

Clean-Up Scene: Giselle’s Perceptions of Control and Values

In New York City, Giselle meets Robert, a kind man who invites her to his apartment to spend the night from the rain. The following morning, Giselle wakes up to a dirty apartment. Her goal is to clean it up and make breakfast for her new friend, Robert. Opening the window, Giselle calls out in a sing-song voice, “aaa-aaa!”. All the animals in NYC, including the rats and cockroaches, hear her song and come magically rushing over to help!

Giselle is pleased with her perception of control (Turner, 2022). In her old home in Andalasia, Giselle would ask her woodland friends to help her sew, cook, and clean. Her ability is a valuable intrinsic goal. As she waits for her one true love to save her, she can enjoy the company of her woodland friends. In NYC, she maintains her magical ability to summon wild animals. As a result, Robert’s apartment is tidied up in no time at all. Additionally, Giselle can take a shower, make herself a dress, and cook breakfast all before he wakes up!

Clean-Up Scene: Giselle’s Specific Emotions and Motivation

In this clean-up short scene, Giselle’s control-value elicits many emotions, which encourage her motivation to clean up Robert’s apartment (Turner, 2022). 

First, Giselle is disgusted with the state of the dirty apartment. She resolves to clean it up. Hopeful, she sings for the neighborhood animals. Giselle is shocked and disgusted with the rats, cockroaches, and dirty pigeons. She instantly shakes off her initial emotional reaction, choosing to be thankful for all the help. 

She becomes happier after singing a clean-up song: “…doesn’t matter if your vermin: you can sing a happy working song”! She experiences pride in her accomplishment of tidying up, showering, making a dress, and making breakfast in such little time. 

 

Angry Scene: Giselle’s Perceptions of Control and Values

A second example of Pekrun’s (2018) control-value theory is when Giselle and Robert have an argument about finding Edward. Robert, a seasoned divorce attorney, is not convinced that Edward is ever going to ‘save’ Giselle. Giselle is convinced that he is, and she believes that they will both live happily ever after. Robert explains that people who cannot work out their problems in the beginning of a relationship cannot improve their relationship over time. And he adds that chipmunks do not talk! Giselle refuses to let him finish his arguments, using all sorts of rebuttal phrases to discredit him. Yet, through this argument she realizes that she cannot talk to wild animals in NYC like she can in Andalasia. She cannot control Edward’s actions and she does not know where he is. Finally, she cannot understand why Robert is pragmatic about love, marriage, and life after marriage.

Angry Scene: Giselle’s Specific Emotions and Motivation

This is my favorite scene in the whole movie because it shows the broadest range of emotions in Giselle. It creates the turning point in her humanity and challenges her goal-striving. Her motivation is to look for Edward and live happily ever after, but now this motivation is challenged with new appraisals and emotions. Is Edward looking for her? Will she ever see him again? Why does Robert always disagree with her? What is she going to do now? With her appraisals, comes a shower of emotions (Turner, 2022).

At the beginning of the scene, Giselle is joyful, pleased with her storytelling skills. Then she smiles because of her faith in Edward: he is coming for her. When Robert mentions that chipmunks don’t talk, Giselle gets slightly flustered and exasperated “They don’t talk here!”, she refutes. Her smile is gone, and her mood has completely changed from enjoying this conversation to wishing it was over. She has a choice: act or withdraw. She decides to give Robert her full attention and settle this once and for all.

Realizing that Robert does not intend to harm or threaten her, she relaxes, and her face looks relieved and grateful. She continues to say that Edward is going to come for her. When Robert says, “No, I don’t think so”, Giselle gets aroused and irritated. 

She stands up and becomes animated and flustered. She has a difficult time expressing herself and takes a few moments before she says, “You make me so angry!” This is the first time Giselle is angry can identify her emotions! Giselle exhibits astonishment in her newfound emotion, and Robert asks if she is ok. In that moment, Giselle feels new emotions, such as sexual awakening, frustration, and longing. Shocked and confused, Giselle sits down on the couch and stares into the distance.

Over time, Giselle uses her emotions as a guide to change her motivation for marrying Edward. The next morning, Edward arrives! However, instead of running immediately back to Andalasia together and getting married, Giselle asks Edward to go on a date and talk. Giselle is appraising Robert’s advice, gauging her emotions about Robert and Edward, and also changing her motivations….(to be continued next week!)

References

EnchantedAmyfan. (2011, Jan 7). Enchanted - Amy Adams 'angry' scene (HD) [Video]. Youtube.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVADyXM2f_A

Images made possible by the fair dealing exception from the copyright act.

Pekrun, R. (2018). Control-value theory: A social-cognitive approach to achievement emotions. In G. A.

D. Liem, & D. M. McInerney (Eds.), Big Theories Revisited 2: A volume of research on 

sociocultural influences on motivation and learning (pp. 162-190). Charlotte, NC: Information 

Age Publishing.

Turner, J. (2022). 2022 Appraisals & Control-Value [Powerpoint Slides]. Learning and Cognition, 

          Florida State University.

          https://canvas.fsu.edu/courses/218133/files/19974946?module_item_id=4423596

We Have a New Character on the Block!

 Giselle, from Enchanted