Emotions as Transformational Structures

Abstract

Emotions involve transformations of the relationships that exist in the "natural" world as well as in social worlds. Thus, the emotions that humans construct are based on affective processes that exist independently from human society and are not necessarily constituted by the interplay of culture and genetic or physiological processes.

Missing Pieces in the Emotion Construction Kit

“…More fundamental issues are raised in de Rivera’s (2012) sophisticated commentary. What kinds of concepts are emotion concepts?…”

“…For him, everything else about emotion concepts is extrinsic and culturally variable. But de Rivera’s (2012) work implies that emotions derive meaning not as intrapsychically apprehended states, but relational processes operating between agents and their environments. If so, certain patterns of orientation may be identifiable at an abstract level, and some of these may depend on ecological factors that are independent of social relations.…”