Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to review some of our recent research on the psychophysiology of emotion from a systems perspective and to consider some of its implications for the self-regulation of emotion. We will emphasize the general concepts of response patterning and emergent property. The basic premise underlying this chapter is that the term emotion is used to refer to a complex pattern (combination) of psychobiological processes, where no single process (or part) equals the whole emotion. Rather, in systems terms (Miller, 1978), emotion emerges out of the unique interaction of the parts that comprise the entire response complex. In systems terms, therefore, the whole is “greater” than the sum of its parts, yet is dependent on the interaction of its parts for its unique properties. It follows that the self-regulation of emotion, if it is to be complete, requires that multiple processes be regulated in an integrated and organized fashion. Regulating a part of the emotion complex should only partially mimic the complete emotional response and experience.
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© 1982 Plenum Press, New York
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Schwartz, G.E. (1982). Physiological Patterning and Emotion. In: Blankstein, K.R., Polivy, J. (eds) Self-Control and Self-Modification of Emotional Behavior. Advances in the Study of Communication and Affect, vol 7. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9260-0_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9260-0_2
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