Dear students, here are instructions and materials for our e-classes (compensating for the classes on Wednesday, March 11th.
Theoretical approaches to emotions (11.03.2020)
READING:
Paul Ekman: “Are there basic emotions?” (the name you must know!)
Carroll Izard: Emotion Theory and Research: Highlights, Unanswered Questions, and Emerging Issues (maybe not the shortest one, but a very informative overview by one of the most prominent figures in the study of emotions)
There’s also relevant reading recommended in the syllabus if you need more 🙂
VIEWING:
Lisa Feldman Barrett: How emotions are made (very, very brief intro by a neuroscientist!)
Jaak Panksepp: The science of emotions (a TEDx lecture by one of the top figures in emotion research)
Theories of emotions explained (a straightforward, relaxed presentation of major theoretical approaches to emotions)
June Gruber: Emotions in animals (entire set video lectures by this researchers is available – very relevant to our classes!)
Do animals have feelings? (a popular account of advanced neuroscientific studies!)
There are hundreds of fascinating videos on emotions on the web. You can always find something for yourself. However, please look for lectures from university or research institutions web pages so that the content is reliable.
You should be able to answer the following questions (some of these topics were touched during our previous class):
- Why there are so many theoretical approaches?
- Give two examples of earlier (till the end of 18th century) approaches to understanding emotions and emotionality in humans.
- Briefly describe how emotions work according to three or four “more contemporary” (including 19th century) theories.
- Emotions: basic, background, social, and other types.
- Give a picture of how emotions may have evolved and what is their importance for survival.
- How do emotions work in (even “simple”) animals?