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Beyond Right and Wrong: Fostering Connection in Emotion Theory Debates
Karlijn van Heijst1,2, Annemie Ploeger3, Mariska E Kret1,2,4
1Cognitive Psychology Unit, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University.
Abstract:
Basic emotion theories (BETs) and the theory of constructed emotion (TCE) have both made significant contributions to the field of affective science despite a persistent divide between the two camps. We argue that focusing on which camp is right hampers possibly fruitful collaborations between affective researchers working within different theoretical frameworks. The TCE and BETs can complement each other because they focus on different features of and questions about affective processes. Clearly defining and operationalizing these questions is crucial to further elucidating the evolutionary basis of emotion and feeling.
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