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Need for more evolutionary and developmental perspective on basic emotional mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2012

Glenn Weisfeld
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202. weisfeld@sun.science.wayne.eduwww.clas.wayne.edu/unit-faculty-detail.asp?FacultyID=402
Peter LaFreniere
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469. peter_lafreniere@umit.maine.edu

Abstract

Lindquist et al.'s meta-analysis focuses on adult humans; the authors' emotion model might be strengthened by considering research on infants and animals, highlighting the importance of the limbic system. Reliance on the James–Lange theory is questionable; emotions typically occur instantaneously, with dubious dependence on bodily feedback for affect. Stronger evidence for localization might be obtained using more precise emotion terms and alterative localization methods.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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