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Breathing and the Psychology of Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior

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Behavioral and Psychological Approaches to Breathing Disorders

Abstract

Breathing is the only vital function that is under direct voluntary control as well as reflexive control. As such, it is a behavior that is subject to the psychological principles of both instrumental (operant) and Pavlovian (respondent) conditioning. While traditional approaches to the psychological study of emotion, cognition, and behavior have occasionally focused on changes in breathing as a consequence of some experimental manipulation, far less attention has been paid to the extent to which emotions, thoughts, and behaviors can be influenced by changes in breathing. The purpose of the this chapter is to bring attention to breathing as a behavioral act and to discuss its interactive effects with emotion, cognition, and behavior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and Statistics, State University of New York, Albany, New York, 12222, USA

    Ronald Ley

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  1. Ronald Ley
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, England

    Beverly H. Timmons

  2. The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, USA

    Ronald Ley

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Ley, R. (1994). Breathing and the Psychology of Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior. In: Timmons, B.H., Ley, R. (eds) Behavioral and Psychological Approaches to Breathing Disorders. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9383-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9383-3_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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