Which of the following is NOT a necessary element of emotion?

Which of the following is NOT a necessary element of emotion?

• A. Verbal expression
• B. Bodily arousal
• C. Cognitive appraisal
• D. Expressive behavior

Answer: (A)

Emotions are built from several interacting components, including a subjective feeling state, bodily arousal, cognitive appraisal, and outward expressive behavior. Verbal expression is simply one way we communicate what we’re feeling, not a defining part of the emotion itself. You can experience an emotion with noticeable physiological changes and a mental assessment of what’s happening, even if you don’t say a word. Because of that, verbal expression isn’t required for an emotion to exist, making it the best choice. The other elements—bodily arousal, cognitive appraisal, and expressive behavior—are the kinds of processes that commonly accompany emotional experiences.

Emotions are built from several interacting components, including a subjective feeling state, bodily arousal, cognitive appraisal, and outward expressive behavior. Verbal expression is simply one way we communicate what we’re feeling, not a defining part of the emotion itself. You can experience an emotion with noticeable physiological changes and a mental assessment of what’s happening, even if you don’t say a word. Because of that, verbal expression isn’t required for an emotion to exist, making it the best choice. The other elements—bodily arousal, cognitive appraisal, and expressive behavior—are the kinds of processes that commonly accompany emotional experiences.