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Emotion: A Very Short Introduction
(Very Short Introductions #81)
by
Dylan Evans (Goodreads Author)
3.57 · Rating details · 289 Ratings · 30 Reviews
Was love invented by European poets in the Middle Ages or is it part of human nature? Will winning the lottery really make you happy? Is it possible to build robots that have feelings? These are just some of the intriguing questions explored in this guide to the latest thinking about the emotions. Drawing on a wide range of scientific research, from anthropology and psychology to neuroscience and artificial intelligence, "Emotion: The Science of Sentiment" takes the reader on a fascinating journey into the human heart. (less)
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Paperback, 156 pages
Published February 13th 2003 by Oxford University Press, USA (first published June 28th 2001)
Original Title
Emotion. The Science of Sentiment
ISBN
0192804618 (ISBN13: 9780192804617)
Edition Language
English
Series
Very Short Introductions #81
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Jun 02, 2016Ahmad Sharabiani marked it as to-read · review of another edition
Shelves: 21th-century, psychology, non-fiction, science, anthropology
Emotion: The Science of Sentiment (Very Short Introductions #81), Dylan Evans
Was love invented by European poets in the middle ages, as C. S. Lewis claimed, or is it part of human nature? Will winning the lottery really make you happy? Is it possible to build robots that have feelings? These are just some of the intriguing questions explored in this new guide to the latest thinking about emotions.
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Oct 12, 2009Johan rated it it was ok
Shelves: psychology
Maybe I'm too much of an anti-positivist to be able to enjoy this book. As an intro to emotions I'd say it's pretty good and written in a funny way with examples from sci-fi and robotics. But I'm having some problems with the fact that Evans constantly refers back to some kind of rather loosely defined primordial time of being when we were some sort of cave men. To me it just isn't relevant to speculate about the evolutionary roots of emotion, what matters is how emotions effect us today.
Some of ...more
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May 23, 2017Bob Nichols rated it liked it · review of another edition
Drawing from the prevailing literature, Evans summarizes what might be regarded as a prevailing view of emotions (the book’s subtitle is, “The Science of Sentiment”). Rather than casting emotions as solely negative (to be controlled), or positive (the glue that holds the social world together), Evans sees a blend of head (reason) and heart (emotion) that works together as “emotional intelligence,” an optimal emotion state that “involves having just the right amount” along the lines of Aristotle’s golden mean. Evans then seams together nature (universal and biological emotions: joy, distress, anger, fear, surprise and disgust) with nurture (the culturally-specific emotions that “have elaborated on this repertoire, exalting different emotions, downgrading others, and embellishing the common feelings with cultural nuances…”). Evans adds one more category that he calls “higher cognitive emotions,” that “are universal, like basic emotions, but exhibit more cultural variation [and] also take longer to build up.” These he lists as love, guilt, shame, embarrassment, pride, envy and jealousy. Evans also distinguishes emotions that are immediate and short-lived from moods that last longer.
Evans does not tie emotions to motivation that provides the “reason” for behavior. As an alternative perspective, emotions might be seen more broadly as the full suite of evolutionarily-derived motivation structures that support survival and that run across a continuum, from instinctive to disposition, to Evans’ more cognitively-directed emotions, and from immediate expressions to the more general moods that reflect one’s state with the world. These emotion structures function in an integrated way. They contain the ‘reason’ for behavior, which is what we need or don’t need, the specific objects (with memory recognition) that are pertinent to need and threats, and behavior (active seeking, or reactive defending) that links (instinctively, dispositionally, or consciously) relevant objects with the need or threat.*
Even with Evans’ attempt to blend emotion and reason,** he keeps them in separate categories when they should be kept together, functioning as part of the same emotion structure. Ultimately, as far as personal behavior, we act or react to the world based on a needs and threats and ‘reason’ coordinates ends and means to help us solve our needs and to defend against threats. Cognition/consciousness does not replace emotions but overlay them. Evans himself suggests this point in his reference to Joseph LeDoux’s (1996) example of someone startled upon seeing a shadow on the pathway. Basic emotion kicks in first, but this is then followed by a conscious appraisal that brings in other clues that show that the shadow is a stick and not a snake, thereby relaxing the startle reaction. LeDoux suggests the possibility that at least some other emotions operate similarly. In an anger scenario, reason doesn’t replace anger but, rather, informs the body that its emotional well-being depends, for example, on not fighting back or quitting (a job) in a particular instance. Here mind contrasts the immediate with a broader context (or a longer-term and more overriding need) and performs its regulatory, adaptive function that way.
The culture-specific emotions that Evans mentions are variations on an underlying theme. Evolution designs us to be part of a group because this was necessary for survival. The underlying need is to be part of a group, and this comes with a full repertoire of social emotions to make that happen. But the specific content (rules, dress, mores, etc.) varies by group and culture, just as Evans suggests.
As a final note, pleasure (various forms) might be better seen as an emotional state, rather than just another emotion, where energy is quiet because need has been satisfied. Pain, in Schopenhauer’s sense, is also a need state (need to satisfy, need to defend) that is experienced as urge, frustration, fear or anger. But unlike pleasure, this pain state functions also to activate energy that, if of sufficient intensity, results in (motivates) behavior to satisfy or alleviate pain.***
*These emotions also can be experienced inwardly only, without behavior, when (1) they lack sufficient intensity; (2) they are masked so they are felt but not expressed; (3) they are suppressed because of the pain that is felt; or, (4) when they are overridden by broader, more important and longer-term interests or concerns.
** For example, Evans paraphrases Robert Frank: “Not only are there passions within reason, but there are reasons within passion.”
*** This is akin to the utilitarian pleasure and pain notions as overarching emotions, except the utilitarian focus is on the external objects that stimulate pleasure or pain whereas Schopenhauer moves these inside, which is the basis for why the self cares in the first place (why pleasure or pain is experienced vis-à-vis specific stimuli). Seen this way, the self functions as an integrated entity that (1) wants/doesn’t want specific things; (2) “suffers” pain because of what it needs or doesn’t need, which supplies the motive force for overt action/reaction, and (3) experiences pleasure when there’s success. Evans’ account of moods also reflects this broader view of emotion. When one is in a good state, there’s joy, happiness or contentment (needs are being met). When one suffers from a long-standing feeling that needs are not being met, then depression results.
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Aug 01, 2018Tien Manh rated it liked it
As the title implies, a very short intro to emotions. Talks about emotions in an evolutionary-psychologyish way: conjectures and hypothesis of how they evolved. Discusses some of the more "complicated" social emotions such as jealousy, shame and greed.
A point that gets repeated over and over is that it is meaningless to separate "heart" and "head". Reasons are based in emotions, which are in turn based on (past) reason. If you don't want to do something, the thought of doing that thing anticipates an undesirable outcome, therefore you don't "want to" do it. Trust your emotions.
Will need a more substantial read for those wanting to go deeper. (less)
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Mar 29, 2017Amir The Fat Bookworm rated it really liked it
Shelves: cognitive-science, philosophy
a rather good book. Emotion is an understudied subject in cognitive science. This short introduction, though not comprehensive as it should not be, it creates a good priming.
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Jul 08, 2011Patrick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Amazon Review:
Was love invented by European poets in the Middle Ages or is it part of human nature? Will winning the lottery really make you happy? Is it possible to build robots that have feelings? These are just some of the intriguing questions explored in this guide to the latest thinking about the emotions. Drawing on a wide range of scientific research, from anthropology and psychology to neuroscience and artificial intelligence, Emotion: The Science of Sentiment takes the reader on a
fascinating journey into the human heart. (less)
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Jul 12, 2015Fares Alahmar rated it it was amazing
This book changed the way I look at emotions.. The author did great job explaining the evolutionary roots of emotions like love, anger, sadness, and even jealousy.. and how CRUCIAL they are for the survival of species. Emotions are not extra leftovers of logic and consciousness, they are sometimes logic itself protecting a specie from self-destruction and extinction.. 5 stars without hesitation!
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Jul 10, 2012Nasir rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Very rarely you find a book covers the subject matter and is easy to read. Wonderful introduction to Emotions and its science. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it
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Aug 18, 2018Niyatee Narkar rated it liked it · review of another edition
I appreciate the lucidity of the language used for it makes research in the area sound simpler to common masses. But I expected the inclusion of more research studies happening in the area. I liked the way the author has addressed the issue of how emotions affect our reasoning and vice versa.
I too believe that it is high time we do away with the belief that emotions and logic are two mutually exclusive processes of the mind.
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Jun 21, 2017Sandeep Gautam rated it liked it
Shelves: psychology
A really short book that provides a basic overview of emotions and its relation to reason. The topics covered are eclectic and not comprehensive; Dylan does a good job of introducing emotional processes, to someone who is a novice, from his vantage point. I did lean a few new things, but believe there are better introductory texts around (though not as brief!)
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Mar 13, 2018Jalen Lyle-Holmes rated it it was ok
I wanted more scientific information and less of him supporting his points with an anecdote or saying Aristotle believed it.
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May 17, 2016Teo 2050 rated it really liked it
Shelves: evolution, psychotropics, _contents, _nonfiction, _audio
~2h @ 2x. Contents:
(view spoiler) (less)
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Nov 07, 2012Daniel Wright rated it liked it
Shelves: vsi, psychology, science, biological-science
For the most part, this is a pretty good introduction to the scientific study of emotion, and an intriguing defense of emotional decision-making.
On the other hand, I feel inclined to make a defense of my mentor C. S. Lewis, at whom the author makes an impertinent sideswipe. In discussing whether a new emotion can be 'invented', so to speak, he alleges that Lewis claims (in The Allegory of Love) that 'falling in love' was invented in romances of the high middle ages, then adduces the biblical 'Song of Songs' as evidence against this. This is a serious misrepresentation of what Lewis is saying. If the author had actually read the Allegory, he would realise that it is primarily a very high-level and scholarly analysis of various medieval- and renaissance-era works of romances (The Romance of the Rose, The Canterbury Tales, The Faerie Queen and others). Lewis' claim is that many of our ideas of chivalrous romance stem from this period, not that there was some kind of sea-change in Western psychology.
Anyway, apart from this particular calumny, the book is actually quite good, and I recommend it. (less)
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Feb 27, 2015Sulaiman Dawood rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: research-material
I bough this book for a mere 30 Rs/- from a newspaper kiosk on a Saturday morning when my car broke down and I decided to take a stroll across the street towards a local tea stall while searching for a mechanic nearby.
No sooner had I gulped down my tea, I noticed an old man selling used books. Despite having a little amount of cash to spare, I decided to try out my luck. Fortunately, I got my hands on this book, which by far is one of the most enlightening books on emotions, and a must read for everyone who want a fundamental knowledge on the subject.
Dylan has written, in a very easy-to-understand way, a book that tries to simplify the very complex question of what is an emotion in its entirety.
I wouldn't spoil your many reasons for reading this book, and since I'm a very critical reader, I don't recommend every single book out there (specially books on science) to the general reader unless I know it's going to have a profound effect on their lives.
This book will surely help me in compiling my dissertation. (less)
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May 09, 2016Paul Baker rated it did not like it · review of another edition
Shelves: non-fiction
This review contains spoilers!
This over-simplistic view of human emotion is pure opinion, extrapolated from various "scientific" studies to arrive at generic conclusions.
What really bothered me the most were two glaring errors of citation.
First, to make a point, Dylan Evans tells us that the Vulcans of Star Trekcould never have evolved without emotion. An author should never write about something if they have not researched it properly. In Star Trek Vulcan's evolved with emotion. In fact, they feel deeply, but have created a system in order to suppress that emotion because of the damage it can cause. Factual error.
The second factual error also involves science fiction. In discussing 2001: A Space Odyssey Evans describes HAL's meltdown while his memory is taken offline by saying he "...utters cries of pain and fear..." which is utterly wrong. HAL does not utter "agonizing screams" ever during the course of the film.
When such gross factual errors occur in citations, how can one ever trust what the author has to say about anything else? (less)
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Feb 01, 2016Rin rated it liked it · review of another edition
I think the book was a cool intro to emotions, but I hate when pop neuroscience books talk about cavemen or some prehistoric creature and what relevance today's feelings have to them. I feel it's the most lazy kind of derived drivel about nothing that non-professional writers do these days to sound more researched. Like, "I know I'm not an expert, but I was able to look up some anthropologist's fairy tale about how cavemen did things therefore I put in a little extra work! I think it's best to stick to H. sapien sapien behavior and what our behaviors mean today. We are not less real or less "wild" than some animal we derived from. Anyhow, it was so frequent in this book that it bugged me. Had it stayed a philosophy book I might have enjoyed it much more. (less)
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Apr 28, 2013catechism added it · review of another edition
Shelves: nonfiction, hearts-and-minds
pretty impossible to rate. Probably I should stop reading intro books for things I already know about, although I didn't realize that all the source material for this book was on my shelves until I, you know, looked at the list of source material. I guess I should have paid more attention to the prof in college who told me to always do that first (although the was a long time ago indeed, and I remember him saying it, so probably it isn't a matter of paying attention so much as of taking advice, at which I am notoriously bad (...sorry, this "review" has gone totally off the rails)). So I guess I'd say YOU should do that first if you're interested. it's a fine intro, easy to read and full of robots. (less)
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Jul 27, 2012Rachel Ann Brickner rated it liked it
Shelves: psychology, science, read-in-2012
This was a fun little read. A great introduction on how emotion has been studied -- what is currently known and unknown -- and how emotions serve, yet are also capable of paralyzing or endangering us. I was most interested in Evans discussion of emotions, consciousness, and robotics. It was the most fascinating section of this small book (meaning it freaked me out the most), and it's something I'd be interested in reading further about (there's suggested further reading at the end of the book!)
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Aug 10, 2014Derrick rated it really liked it · review of another edition
A good, broad primer. Nonverbal Communication is more incisive on the narrower topic of emotion, as defined as the basic emotions, but this book tackles philosophical issues, relation to AI, and more importantly the similarities and differences between emotion, mood, and affect. Also there is an understanding of non-basic higher cognitive emotions that came later in our evolutionary history, such as love, guilt, and revenge. These were likely developed to solve certain commitment problems—game theoretic, I mean.(less)
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Jun 28, 2016Kjn rated it did not like it
It began pretty well, even with a couple of semi-interesting facts, but then it quickly degenerated into a long ramble on the futility of AI without emotions.
If, as the author is stating, emotions is a topic that doesn't get enough attention, then the author surely isn't helping to mediate that.
Also the repeated point that Vulcans were impossible as they could not possibly have existed without emotions was kind of hurtful.
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Aug 14, 2016Shaden Al-Laham rated it really liked it
Shelves: psychology-how-brain-works, favorites
Very interesting, although I wish if the author elaborated more in some points, the book is short and briefly answers many interesting questions; what are emotions, and why did they evolve? Could an “emotionless” species ever made it through evolution? Would it be more rational than us? Why emotions are usually viewed as the enemy of reason? Is it possible that the heart has its reason too?
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May 25, 2016Steen Ledet rated it liked it · review of another edition
Too shallow
While especially the first few chapters are solid, the book slowly deteriorates into a weird transhumanist argument about robots evolving emotions. Yes, affective computing is important but why not emphasize animals as much?
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Sep 12, 2014Hannah rated it really liked it
Shelves: read-in-2015
This was so interesting! Best of the 'Very Short Introductions' series I've read so far.
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Nov 12, 2014Marcus Lira rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: psychology, anthropology
You know the author has got to be English when he starts talking about rave parties as the epitome of synaesthesia. Can't help agreeing with him.
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Dec 26, 2013Enerel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: 2014
A very short intro unshlaa. Sonirholtoi tovch oilgomjtoi. Huurhun studynuudtai.
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Apr 04, 2013M Pereira rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: emotion, philosophy, psychology, interdisciplinary, introduction, science,popular-science
Highly recommended book. Spans through pop culture, philosophy, literature, psychology and even artificial intelligence in investigating that very broad thing called emotion.
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