An example of the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion is a person's reaction to encountering a venomous snake. According to this view, the person feels the emotion of fear at exactly the same time that their body mounts a physiological fight-or-flight response. The emotional reaction is separate and independent of the physical arousal, even though they co-occur.

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Developed in response to doubts about the James-Lange theory, the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion challenges the idea that physiological arousal patterns are distinct enough to create the wide variety of human emotions. This theory proposes that upon encountering a stimulus, such as a snake, the emotional experience (e.g., fear) and the physiological response (e.g., fight-or-flight) occur at the same time. Crucially, these two events are considered independent, meaning the emotional reaction is separate from the bodily arousal, even though they happen simultaneously.

Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

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