ABSTRACT
This chapter examines whether scenarios constructed to present specific appraisal information result in emotion decoding and empathic experiences compatible with Scherer's theoretical predictions. It explores the effects of presenting differing amounts and types of appraisal information on accurate decoding and empathy. The main prediction offered for emotional reactivity was that the levels of an emotion reported would be significantly affected by the appraisal information weights reflected in the scenarios. In real-life situations, the actual emotional state of the sender serves as the judgment criterion for both accuracy of decoding and empathy. In the case of hypothetical scenarios, the judgment criteria are the theoretically predicted emotions. Scherer's theory of appraisal-emotion linkages presents the emotion rules. Scherer's theory is accurate and people have accessible knowledge of the proposed appraisal-emotion relationships, the nature of the appraisal information should affect which emotions the receivers believe characterize the sender's state.
