The Study of Emotion: An Introduction

Abstract

Emotions occupy an ambiguous place in the popular imagination. Sometimes they are regarded as irrational passions which threaten to destroy our calmly ordered lives. Emotions, from this point of view, are located in the body. When people feel emotions, a violent energy arises within them which compels them to act in ways they may later regret. Emotions are regarded as forces beyond our control for which we cannot be held responsible. They are disruptive forces that may even threaten the rules and regulations on which civilization itself depends. In this account of emotions, road rage can be seen as a typical case in point. A driver believes another road-user has acted in a selfish or stupid manner. He suddenly feels a surge of anger which leads him to want to take violent revenge. It seems as if this rage has derailed his reason and taken him over. If he does take revenge, he may well bitterly regret his action once he has calmed down. Where this view of emotions predominates, the inference likely to be drawn is that we should be guided by our powers of reasoning, thinking through the consequences of our actions. We should stay calm, retain our self-discipline, keep our cool. Thus it would be best if anger and rage were effectively restrained, disgust and hatred diminished, fear and anxiety brought under control. In short, reason should master emotion. Indeed, adapting Freud (1930) a little, it could be said that civilization rests on the repression of emotion.