Cognitive Functional Model of the Effects of Discrete Negative Emotions

Abstract

The cognitive functional model (CFM) of the effects of discrete negative emotions draws from cognitive response models and functional accounts of emotion to establish an integrated decision‐making framework that emphasizes cognitive elaboration and emotional response. Designed by Robin Nabi, the CFM theorizes that discrete negative emotions (specifically anger, fear, sadness, guilt, and disgust) influence persuasion by motivating/demotivating an individual's attention and cognitive processing, thereby directing central or peripheral processing of the message. By outlining the unique appraisals and functions of discrete emotions, the model attempts to predict people's level of attention to persuasive messages, as well as subsequent effects on attitudes and behavior. The innovations of the CFM have great potential for refining our understanding of emotion's role in persuasion, but the limited body of empirical research supporting the model demands further study. Going forward, the model could be expanded to consider both positive emotions and cultural differences in emotional appraisal and cognitive response.