A cikin littafinsa na 1884, William James ya yi jayayya cewa jin daɗi da motsin zuciyarmu na biyu ne ga abubuwan da suka faru na ilimin lissafi. A cikin ka'idar sa, James ya ba da shawarar cewa fahimtar abin da ya kira "gaskiya mai ban sha'awa" kai tsaye ya haifar da amsawar ilimin lissafi, wanda aka sani da "jin dadi". Don yin lissafin nau'ikan nau'ikan abubuwan da ke tattare da motsin rai, James ya ba da shawarar cewa motsawa yana haifar da aiki a cikin tsarin juyayi na mutum, wanda hakan ke haifar da kwarewar motsin rai a cikin kwakwalwa. Masanin ilimin halayyar Danish Carl Lange ya ba da shawarar irin wannan ka'idar a kusan lokaci guda, sabili da haka wannan ka'idar ta zama sananne da ka'idar James <unk> Lange. Kamar yadda James ya rubuta, "hankalin canjin jiki, yayin da suke faruwa, shine motsin rai". James ya ce "muna kuka ne saboda muna fushi, saboda muna jin tsoro, muna rawar jiki, ko dai muna kuka, ko dai muna fushi, muna rawar jiki, muna jin tausayi, ko kuma muna da tausayi",
Masanin ilimin halayyar Danish Carl Lange shima ya gabatar da irin wannan ka'idar