The Social Foundations of Emotion

Many researchers today view emotions as biologically-based, evolutionary adaptations to environmental stimuli.  In this book, Stefan Hofmann and Stacey Doan argue that emotions cannot be understood without taking into account the dynamic social and cultural worlds we inhabit. They propose instead a “core self,” containing the biological basis for our emotions, and a “social self,” which develops over time and embraces the shifting social and cultural influences around us as we grow and learn.
 
Through a wealth of clinical case examples and an expert synthesis of contemporary research, the authors examine how emotions are determined and regulated both internally and externally, via social bonds and feedback.  By emphasizing the client’s social world, they show clinicians how to understand and offer treatment solutions to common mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. As the authors demonstrate, socio‑cultural context is not just a contributing factor to emotional development; it is, instead, a constant, ubiquitous, and essential element for understanding the complex foundations of human emotion. 
 

“Stefan Hofmann and Stacey Doan have done a fantastic job of synthesizing contemporary understanding of emotions, elegantly weaving together research findings from cognitive, affective, social and developmental psychology with clinical science.  The Social Foundations of Emotion is broad and fresh, and will be a valuable resource for academics and clinicians, and also for lay people who explore this important topic.” —Joseph LeDoux, author of Anxious, Synaptic Self, and The Emotional Brain

"Longtime emotion researchers will find a thorough review of theories and research, but also a fresh perspective on emotions emphasizing social and cultural influences. This book is timely, as it provides a much-needed update to the psychology behind emotions. Highly recommended." —Choice

Longtime emotion researchers will find a thorough review of theories and research, but also a fresh perspective on emotions emphasizing social and cultural influences. This book is timely, as it provides a much-needed update to the psychology behind emotions. Highly recommended.

Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, is a professor of psychology in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, where he directs the Psychotherapy and Emotion Research Laboratory. He has an actively funded research program studying various aspects of emotional disorders with a particular emphasis on anxiety disorders and cognitive behavioral therapy. He has won many prestigious professional awards, including the Aaron T. Beck Award for Significant and Enduring Contributions to the Field of Cognitive Therapy by the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award. He is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and was president of various national and international professional societies, including the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy. He was also an advisor to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM–5) development process and a member of the DSM–5 Anxiety Disorder Sub-Work Group. Dr. Hofmann has been identified as a highly cited researcher by Thomson Reuters. He is currently editor of Cognitive Therapy and Research and associate editor of Clinical Psychological Science. He has published more than 300 peer-reviewed journal articles and 15 books, including An Introduction to Modern CBT: Psychological Solutions to Mental Health Problems and Emotion in Therapy, and a popular textbook (with David Barlow and Mark Durand), Abnormal Psychology: An Integrative Approach. For more information, visit the Psychotherapy and Emotion Research Laboratory website.

Stacey N. Doan, PhD, received her BA from Carleton College and her PhD from Cornell University. She is an associate professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College and director of the Applied Mind and Health Laboratory and the Berger Institute. She is the recipient of Early Career Awards from the Western Psychological Association and from the Society for Research on Child Development. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health. She is a frequent speaker on topics such as parenting, emotions, and mind–body interactions, and she has published more than 30 papers in some of the best child development and health psychology journals. For more information on Dr. Doan's current projects, visit her website.

Many researchers today view emotions as biologically-based, evolutionary adaptations to environmental stimuli. In this book, Stefan Hofmann and Stacey Doan argue that emotions cannot be understood without taking into account the dynamic social and cultural worlds we inhabit. They propose instead a ""core self,"" containing the biological basis for our emotions, and a ""social self,"" which develops over time and embraces the shifting social and cultural influences around us as we grow and learn. Through a wealth of clinical case examples and an expert synthesis of contemporary research, the authors examine how emotions are determined and regulated both internally and externally, via social bonds and feedback. By emphasizing the client's social world, they show clinicians how to understand and offer treatment solutions to common mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. As the authors demonstrate, socio-cultural context is not just a contributing factor to emotional development; it is, instead, a constant, ubiquitous, and essential element for understanding the complex foundations of human emotion.

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