Figure 6.17: Three theories of emotion Each theory proposes a different set of causal relationships among perception of the stimulus, bodily arousal, and emotional feeling. According to the common-sense theory (so labeled by James), the emotional feeling precedes and causes the bodily arousal. James’s theory reverses that relationship, and Schachter’s theory holds that the intensity of the emotional feeling depends on the bodily response, but the type of emotion experienced (such as fear, anger, or love) depends on the person’s cognitive assessment of the external stimulus or situation.