Emotional Development, Theory And Applications: A Neo-Piagetian Perspective [Hardcover]

Freud's assumption that our emotions are instinctual and innate, and that they reside in our unconscious, is still the dominant notion in our conventional wisdom. If our emotions are instinctual and innate, then they have little relationship to our needs and values, and they do not change in the course of development. This book advances a contemporary theory of emotional development, a neo-Piagetian theory that postulates that both our feelings and emotions are cognitive constructions that are informed by our needs and values, and that our feelings and emotions change considerably in the course of development. Using interview and original case material, the author illustrates his theory's application to both short- and long-term psychotherapy, as well as the implications for research, assessment, emotional education, and counseling.HENRY DUPONT, a licensed clinical psychologist in Blairsville, Georgia, has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and at the Univerity of Hawaii. He has had extensive experience as an author, educator, and psychotherapist for both children and adults, with a lifelong interest in emotional development. He is the author ofAssessing Emotional Development(1982), the senior author ofTransition: A Curriculum Program to Help Students Through the Difficult Passage from Childhood to Middle Adolescence(1979) andToward Affective Development(1974) and the editor ofEducating Emotionally Disturbed Children(1974, 1969).

Tables
Preface
Introduction
A Theory of Emotional Development
Needs, Values, Feelings, and Emotions
The Psychology of Anger, Shame, Guilt, Sadness, Pride, and Happiness
Development, Social Experience, and Consciousness
Applications
In Search of Emotional Maturity
References
Index