title: The need-informational theory of emotions.
abstract: As an evolvement of Pavlov ideas on higher nervous (psychic) activity 'the need-informational theory of emotions' was suggested by the author in 1964. According to it an emotion is a function of two major factors: (1) power and quality of actual need (or drive, or motivation) and (2) estimation of probability (possibility) of need satisfaction on the basis of phylo- and ontogenetic experience. In the process of experimental testing of 'the need-informational theory of emotions' the role of different cerebral structures (frontal neocortex, hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus) in the genesis of emotional states and in the organization of goal-directed behavior was elucidated. The experimental data showed that these 4 brain structures play the major role in estimation of signals coming from environment and in the choice of subject's reactions. The individual characteristics of the interaction between the 4 brain structures must be taken into consideration in discussing neurophysiological backgrounds of different types of the higher nervous activity (temperaments), parameters of extra-introversion and neurotism (emotionality), the formation of main types of neurosis.
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002415:Cats; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology; D004597:Electroshock; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000502:physiology; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology