What is Emotional Arousal Theory?
Photo: Jade Masri
Before figuring out what emotional arousal theory at large actually is, we need to define what “arousal” means in this context. While the term often conjures to mind something with a sexual lean- and that is, indeed, an appropriate use of the term, as you’ll come to realize- it is not necessarily relevant to what we will be discussing today. Media theorist and sociologist Dolf Zillmann defines arousal (in a psychological context) as “the experience of restlessness, excitation, and agitation.” (1) Zillmann goes on to explain that arousal manifests itself in physical reactions both large and small that create a “readiness for action” that leads the subject experiencing these arousals to seek out more of the same.
Photo: Joanne Glaudemans
With that in mind, Zillmann (one of the foremost modern scholars on the theory) lays out the basics of emotional arousal theory thusly: all vital emotions naturally have an associated arousal state, and the subjective experience of these states (from person to person) helps us understand and interface with our strongest feelings. (1) Everything from the racing of your heart that comes with an anxiety attack to the calm, enveloping warmth of blissful happiness can be classified as a type of arousal. Indeed- as we will discuss elsewhere on this website- being moved by music to dance, sing along, cry, or even jump in a mosh pit all falls under that description. After all, those are all physical reactions to heightened states of emotion driven by external stimuli- by Zillman’s definition of arousals, these are about as “textbook” as any examples you’ll find.
Citations
Zillmann, D. (2008). Emotional arousal theory. The International Encyclopedia of Communication. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405186407.wbiece022