Handbook of the Sociology of Emotions (original) (raw)

Sociological Theories of Human Emotions

Annual Review of Sociology, 2006

Over the past three decades, five general theoretical approaches to understanding the dynamics of human emotions have emerged in sociology: dramaturgical theories, symbolic interactionist theories, interaction ritual theories, power and status theories, and exchange theories. We review each of these approaches. Despite the progress made by these theories, several issues remain unresolved: the nature of emotions, feeling, and affect; the degree to which emotions are biologically based or socially constructed; the gap between social psychological theories on emotions and macrostructural theorizing; and the relatively narrow range of emotions theorized, coupled with an equally narrow focus on the structural and cultural conditions producing these emotions.

Social Psychology of Emotion - Introduction

This book analyses historical, philosophical, psychological, biological, sociological, post-structural, and technological perspectives of emotion that it argues are important for a viable social psychology of emotion. It begins with early ancient philosophical conceptualisations of pathos and ends with analytical discussions of the transmission of affect which permeate the digital revolution. "This impressive book is simultaneously erudite, comprehensive and accessible. Ellis & Tucker place the social psychology of emotion in its historical context, whilst also providing an introduction to some of the contemporary social scientific work associated with the ‘affective turn’. In so doing they draw out the sometimes unexpected continuities, discontinuities and uncertainties that have characterised this field, whilst clearly demonstrating the continual relevance of emotional phenomena to social psychology. With clear aims for each chapter and suggestions for further reading throughout, this book should be a valuable resource for students and researchers alike. John Cromby Loughborough University"

A Social Relational Account of Affect

Sociologists usually conceive of emotions as individual, episodic, and categorical phenomena while emphasizing their social and cultural construction. At the same time, the term emotion refers to a wide range of conceptually and ontologically distinct components and is therefore best thought of as a relatively unspecific umbrella term. In this article, I argue that the routes leading to the social and cultural construction of emotion, for example norms, rules, values, and discourse, are unlikely to be applicable to each of these components in the same way. This is particularly true for n element of emotion that is often portrayed as being most essential and basic and therefore to some extent eluding the formative forces of culture and society, namely affect. Although affect is an established notion in sociology, it has remained conceptually underdeveloped. I therefore discusses different perspectives on affect from cultural studies that emphasize its relational and bodily character. In a second step, I contrast and reconcile these views with existing theories of affect in sociology and social psychology and consider a number of essential characteristics that can be used to circumscribe affect and its social and cultural correlates. Finally, I introduce concepts from relational sociology and discuss concrete examples to specify the relational character of affect and to develop an understanding of affect that is both theoretically fruitful and conducive to empirical research.

SEEKING MULTIDISCIPLINARY WAYS OF THINKING IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF EMOTIONS

This paper argues compellingly for incorporating emotions into sociological research, challenging the traditional focus on rationalism that has prevailed in the social sciences since the Enlightenment. The cliché approach that sacrifices or at least neglects emotions in favor of rationalism has been reviewed by reference to the recent scientific developments demonstrating that emotions and reason are not antagonistic but work in concert. Subsequently, to illustrate how a potential sociology of emotions might be feasible, the paper briefly reviews several theories of the sociology of emotions that can be considered in symbolic interactionism. Finally, the paper seeks a plausible explanation for whether the remarkable similarities between Pierre Bourdieu's relational sociology concepts and several neurological components offer us an alternative, interdisciplinary way of thinking. The exploration of the intersections between Pierre Bourdieu's sociological concepts and neurological insights could be viewed as an effort to enrich the sociology of emotions and to seek new possibilities for addressing the complex aspects of social life from a broader perspective.

Emotions are culturally situated

Social Science Information, 2007

Trends and developments: research on emotions Courants et tendances: recherche sur les émotions Batja Mesquita Trends and developments: research on emotions Courants et tendances: recherche sur les émotions Keith Oatley On the definition and function of emotions On definition Klaus Scherer's article "What are Emotions?" is a useful reminder of the stage we have reached in our understanding. Nico Frijda's invitation to Collected comments Klaus Scherer's "What are Emotions?" 415