The opponent process theory: what is it and what does it explain?

What is this psychological theory of emotions proposed by R. Solomon and J.D. Corbit?

The organism tends to seek balance, both physiologically and mentally. When we take a drug, at first we feel happy, uninhibited. However, after a while, and after we stop taking it, we experience negative emotions, headaches, in short, aversive sensations.

The same happens when we are in the company of someone. At the beginning everything is joy but, after a while being with that person, if we separate from him or her or lose him or her, we will feel terribly empty and sad.

The theory of the opponent process tries to explain these phenomena, i.e., how the presentation of a stimulus at first implies some emotions and, after a while, causes others. Let's look at it a little more clearly below.

The opponent process theory

The opponent process theory, applied to emotions and motivations, it was elaborated by Richard Solomon and John D. Corbit in 1978.. This model has its origins in Ewald Hering's opponent processes, although Hering used this term to explain human visual perception.

Looking at it very closely, Hering argued that visual perception was based on the activation of the cones and rods of the eye in an antagonistic fashion.. Without going into too much detail, his ideas would allow us to understand why when we look at an object of a particular color, let's say green, when we look away after a long time and look at a white or black surface we see the opposite color, red.

Solomon and Corbit transferred this idea to the psychology of emotions and motivation. In the opponent-process theory they try to explain why, when we are presented with a stimulus that awakens some kind of emotion, with the passage of time an emotion antagonistic to the first one is awakened. to the first one. That is, it aims to explain the process that follows an affective response to a stimulus, which can be both aversive and pleasurable, from its appearance to its disappearance.

Thus, according to the model, the presentation of a stimulus involves the activation of an opponent process mechanism. Initially, a stimulus elicits an affective response, let us say a positive one. After some time, the organism, in order to recover emotional homeostasis, activates a second response, with the opposite symbol to the first one.of opposite symbol to the first one.

To make it clear. Let us imagine that we drink a beer. Alcohol produces, at first, a positive emotion: we are cheerful, uninhibited and more sociable. However, once the can is finished and after a few minutes, some sensations start to come, which, although not very serious, are annoying, such as a slight headache or a "downer". With this example we can see that at first this positive emotion was awakened, but then a negative one came, counteracting the first one.

Model assumptions

The opponent process theory is based on the following three assumptions.

The first is that Emotional responses have a biphasic pattern.. That is, we find that, after these responses to the presentation of a stimulus, they are accompanied by another emotional response, but of opposite sign to that of the primary reaction.

The second assumption is that the primary reaction, whether positive or negative, loses strength as the time of contact with the stimulus that has triggered this response passes..

The third assumption is that the loss of intensity of the first emotional response is compensated for by the is compensated for by an increase in the opposite reaction.. That is to say, in the long term, the subject's emotionality recovers its equilibrium.

The primary reaction loses strength as the time of contact with the stimulus that triggered this response passes. The loss of intensity of the first response is compensated by the increase of the opposite reaction.

Process A and process B

When presented with a stimulus that elicits emotional responses, we have two different processes.

The first process, which is the one that causes the person to move away from emotional neutrality, is process A or primary process, i.e., the first emotional response. It is, in itself, the direct effect that awakens the affective stimulus, be it a substance such as drugs or the presence of a loved one. Subsequently, the process that counteracts the action of the first one, called process B or opponent process, is given..

If we subtract the strength of process B from the strength of process A we obtain, as a result, the visible emotional expression, that is, the emotional reaction externally observed by the individual. Although at the beginning of process B the opposing emotion tends to be weaker than that of process A, as the exposure to the elicitor increases, the emotional expression of process B becomes weaker, as exposure to the elicitor becomes more continuous, process B gains in strengthand is capable of counteracting the primary emotional reaction.

Initial and brief exposure

When a stimulus is presented for the first time, process A emerges independently, without being accompanied by process B. It is in this first phase that the first emotional reaction reaches its maximum intensity, since there is nothing to neutralize it. After this, process B begins to emerge, opposing process A, although at first it does not have much strength.

If the stimulus that initiated the response is removed, process A stops, but not process B, which remains for a while. It is then that the response of the opposing process, also called affective post-reaction, can be observed for the first time.It is then that the response of the opposing process, also called post-affective reaction, can be observed for the first time, carrying emotions opposite to those observed in the primary process. If the exposure to the stimulus has been brief, process B will be given with very little intensity, which will not allow the affective post-reaction to be too aversive.

To better understand this idea, let us imagine a person who smokes a cigarette for the first time. It is possible that this first cigarette will trigger some positive sensation and, when he has finished it, it will generate minor discomfort such as a slight sore throat, a little nervousness and a bad taste in the mouth.

She is not, as yet, a smoker, so quitting Smoking cigarettes does not awaken, neurologically speaking, the urge to consume. Process B is weak, involving very little "craving" or need to have another cigarette.

Prolonged exposure to the stimulus

As we have seen, the B process gains strength as the time of contact with the stimulus passes. If the stimulus has been presented for a longer time, the B-process takes longer to diminish..

That is, as the time of exposure to the particular stimulus increases, the ability of the opponent process to compensate for the primary reaction also increases. As a consequence, the affective post-reaction will also be greater once the eliciting stimulus is removed.

Returning to the case of smoking. Let us imagine that, instead of smoking for the first time, you have been smoking a pack a day for years, but you have decided to quit. Quitting smoking abruptly makes process A disappear and gives way to process B, with great intensity..

It is here where the typical symptoms of smokers who are trying to quit, such as irritability, nervousness, bad mood, lack of concentration, etc., occur. Having been exposed to the stimulus for so long, quitting activates this process..

Practical applications of the theory

Once the theory is understood, it can be related to two cases that have been widely studied in psychology.

Substance addiction

As we have already seen, the first time a drug is consumed, it induces a primary process or A that entails a series of varied effects, depending on the drug itself.

At this point, when the substance has just been consumed, the opposing process is not yet capable of balancing the organism by counteracting the primary process.Thus, the drug causes the desired effects, the pleasurable effects.

If it is the first time the drug is taken or has not been exposed to it for too long, there will be no affective post-reaction or, at least, it will not be very intense.

But the opposite is the case when substance use is continuous. Being exposed for a longer period of time, the opposing process has already taken on a notable strength, enough to be able to take the organism to a higher level.enough to be able to bring the organism to equilibrium.

If at this point we eliminate the elicitor stimulus, i.e. the drug, the subject will be plunged into a series of unwanted symptoms, which we call abstinence.

To avoid withdrawal in a habitual drug user, although it depends, of course, on the type of substance consumed, the simplest and most plausible solution is the administration of the substance, but in an increasingly reduced form, to give it up gradually.and to give it up gradually.

With this new administration, a process A or primary, pleasant, will be activated, which will be accompanied by a process B or opponent, less intense and aversive, an affective post-reaction that will not imply abstinence.

2. Duel

The opponent process theory can also be applied to bereavement. In this process, which can occur either at the death of a loved one or at a breakup of a couple or the loss of any relationship.In this process, which can occur in the event of the death of a loved one, a breakup or the loss of a relationship, we can see the appearance of process B, missing the person who has gone.

From the first moment we meet a person who offers us something emotionally important, we feel positive emotions, such as joy, sexual satisfaction, warmth....

In this phase of the relationship, the affective post-reaction is weak, but, also, having been exposed to that person, which is a stimulus elicitor of emotions, the breakup of the relationship would not be such a big deal..

However, if the relationship continues over time, the continued exposure to the person's presence becomes like a drug. We are exposed to him or her and, if he or she suddenly leaves, process B is triggered, with negative emotions.

Bibliographical references:

• Vargas R., Jimenez R.. (2018) Opponent process theory as a model to explain addictions . Rev Elec Psic Izt.;21(1):222-236.
• Domjan, M. (2007). Principles of learning and behavior. Madrid: Thomson.
• Pellegrini, S. (2009). Incentive effects on sugar water consumption responses in rats: an interpretation in terms of opponent process theory. In I International Congress of Research and Professional Practice in Psychology. Faculty of Psychology - University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires.