A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion Theory
Basic Emotion Theory, or BET, has dominated the affective sciences for decades (Ekman, 1972, 1992, 1999; Ekman and Davidson, 1994; Griffiths, 2013; Scarantino and Griffiths, 2011). It has been highly influential, driving a number of empirical lines of research (e.g., in the context of facial express...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01217/full |
| _version_ | 1818344249116065792 |
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| author | Daniel D. Hutto Ian Robertson Michael D. Kirchhoff |
| author_facet | Daniel D. Hutto Ian Robertson Michael D. Kirchhoff |
| author_sort | Daniel D. Hutto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Basic Emotion Theory, or BET, has dominated the affective sciences for decades (Ekman, 1972, 1992, 1999; Ekman and Davidson, 1994; Griffiths, 2013; Scarantino and Griffiths, 2011). It has been highly influential, driving a number of empirical lines of research (e.g., in the context of facial expression detection, neuroimaging studies and evolutionary psychology). Nevertheless, BET has been criticized by philosophers, leading to calls for it to be jettisoned entirely (Colombetti, 2014; Hufendiek, 2016). This paper defuses those criticisms. In addition, it shows that we have good reason to retain BET. Finally, it reviews and puts to rest worries that BET’s commitment to affect programs renders it outmoded. We propose that, with minor adjustments, BET can avoid such criticisms when conceived under a radically enactive account of emotions. Thus, rather than leaving BET behind, we show how its basic ideas can be revised, refashioned and preserved. Hence, we conclude, our new BET is still a good bet. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:43:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a807b780b2824065b818cf489b49b090 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:43:28Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a807b780b2824065b818cf489b49b0902022-12-21T23:38:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-07-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.01217360717A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion TheoryDaniel D. HuttoIan RobertsonMichael D. KirchhoffBasic Emotion Theory, or BET, has dominated the affective sciences for decades (Ekman, 1972, 1992, 1999; Ekman and Davidson, 1994; Griffiths, 2013; Scarantino and Griffiths, 2011). It has been highly influential, driving a number of empirical lines of research (e.g., in the context of facial expression detection, neuroimaging studies and evolutionary psychology). Nevertheless, BET has been criticized by philosophers, leading to calls for it to be jettisoned entirely (Colombetti, 2014; Hufendiek, 2016). This paper defuses those criticisms. In addition, it shows that we have good reason to retain BET. Finally, it reviews and puts to rest worries that BET’s commitment to affect programs renders it outmoded. We propose that, with minor adjustments, BET can avoid such criticisms when conceived under a radically enactive account of emotions. Thus, rather than leaving BET behind, we show how its basic ideas can be revised, refashioned and preserved. Hence, we conclude, our new BET is still a good bet.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01217/fullbasic emotionsaffect programsaffective scienceembodimentradical enactivism |
| spellingShingle | Daniel D. Hutto Ian Robertson Michael D. Kirchhoff A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion Theory Frontiers in Psychology basic emotions affect programs affective science embodiment radical enactivism |
| title | A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion Theory |
| title_full | A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion Theory |
| title_fullStr | A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion Theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion Theory |
| title_short | A New, Better BET: Rescuing and Revising Basic Emotion Theory |
| title_sort | new better bet rescuing and revising basic emotion theory |
| topic | basic emotions affect programs affective science embodiment radical enactivism |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01217/full |
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