Best Laid Schemes The Psychology of the Emotions [Paperback]

Serving a crucial function when the unexpected occurs and when priorities must be set, emotions are shown to be central to the understanding of human action and mental life in a survey that draws upon research in cognitive science as well as other fields.Serving a crucial function when the unexpected occurs and when priorities must be set, emotions are shown to be central to the understanding of human action and mental life in a survey that draws upon research in cognitive science as well as other fields.Keith Oatley draws on theories from psychology, philosophy and linguistics, as well as writings from other social sciences, to show how emotions are central to any understanding of human actions and mental life.List of figures and tables; Acknowledgments; Prologue; Part I. Theory and Function: 1. The structure of emotions; 2. Intuitive and empirical approaches to understanding; 3. Rationality and emotions; 4. Mutual plans and social emotions; Part II. Conflict and Unpredictability: 5. Plans and emotions in fictional narrative; 6. Stress and distress; 7. Freud's cognitive psychology of intention: the case of Dora; Part III. Enjoyment and Creativity: 8. Happiness; 9. Putting emotions into words; Epilogue; Notes; References; Author index; Subject index. ...an extraordinarily learned and well-argued account of the ways in which emotions function within our cognitive systems....Oatley's erudite and integrative presentation of his theory of emotions should be a part of every library's psychology collection. Choice ...an exceptional work which does more than justice to the cognitive science approach to the emotions. Martin Conway, The Times Higher Education Supplement ...has many of the characteristics of good literature as well as good science. James R. Averill, Cognition and Emotion