Jennifer M. Jenkins

Emotions are an inescapable part of the human experience. They motivate actions and reactions, guide our interpersonal and business relationships, inspire political and societal trends, and influence our sense of self and well-being. Emphasizing the broad practical reach of this field of study, Understanding Emotions draws from neuroscience, psychiatry, biology, genetics, the humanities, economics, and more to provide a strong foundation in core concepts. An easy-to-follow narrative arc encompasses the entire life span, while representative studies provide immediate insight into the real-world implications of important findings. This new Fourth Edition continues to provide clear and concise guidance toward the factors that drive emotion, with new, revised, and expanded discussions that reflect the current state of the field. Detailed coverage of social and anti-social motivations, moral judgment, empathy, psychological disorders, the physiological components of emotion, and many more equip students with the conceptual tools to probe deeper into the material and apply methods and techniques to their own personal lives.

Keith Oatley and Jennifer M. Jenkins’s best-selling book on the psychology of emotions is the most highly regarded and engaging text for the emotions course. While retaining its interdisciplinary breadth, historical insights, and engaging format, this new edition adds the expertise of outstanding researcher and dedicated teacher Dacher Keltner. The second edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect the latest research and developments in emotions and includes the following features: Cohesive synthesis of evolutionary and cultural approaches to emotionNew chapters on communication of emotion, bodily changes, and appraisalIncreased emphasis on interpersonal implications of emotions, including studies of newly discovered expressions and systems of communicationNew coverage on moral judgment, individual differences, gene-environment interactions, and positive emotionsNew coverage of subjective well-being and pro-social emotions like gratitude and compassionUpdated references throughout reflect current research and data, including research on affective neuroscienceA new design and pedagogical features include new integrated boxes that depict historical landmarks and historical figures, updated tables, boldfaced terms, and end-of-chapter summaries. An Instructor's Manual with lecture notes and teaching tips is available upon request. Please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/oatley.