A General Theory of Emotions and Social Life

This unique volume presents a general theory linking emotions and ratio- nal thought to social relationships. In his innovative new book TenHouten presents an encyclopaedic classi?cation of the emotions (describing 54 in total) and offers one of the most original and multi-leveled accounts of the emotions and social life ever developed. This neurocognitive sociology of the emotions shows primary emotions to be adaptive reactions to fundamental problems of life which have evolved into elementary social relationships and which can predict occur- rences of the entire spectrum of primary, complex secondary, and tertiary emotions. The scope of this work is comprehensive and includes the devel- opment of emotions in childhood, symbolic elaboration of complex emotions, emotions management, violence, and cultural and gender differ- ences.