Glossary // Glossary term Theoretical
Basic emotion theory
The view that a set of emotions evolved as distinct families, each with characteristic signals, physiology and eliciting events, and sharing features such as rapid onset and brief duration. Recent versions describe more than twenty emotions expressed in multimodal, dynamic patterns and allow for cultural and contextual influence. Meta-analyses finding no consistent autonomic or neural signature per category are the main challenge to it. Basic emotion theory treats emotions as evolved families with characteristic signals; the theory of constructed emotion treats them as built in the moment. This essay sets out both, the evidence each cites, and what the debate means for measuring emotion. The works the definition rests on, with the level of evidence each was appraised at. (1992). An argument for basic emotions. doi:10.1080/02699939208411068 Supports the claim that basic emotion theory treats emotions as evolved responses, each with distinctive signal, physiology and antecedent events and sharing features such as rapid onset and brief duration. A theoretical argument. (2019). Emotional expression: Advances in basic emotion theory. doi:10.1007/s10919-019-00293-3 Supports the claim that proponents of basic emotion theory now describe upwards of 20 emotions signalled in multimodal, dynamic patterns and acknowledge contextual influences on recognition. Review by proponents; it does not settle the dispute with constructionist accounts.Where the site uses it
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