This book provides a relatively brief but detailed description of both classic and contemporary theory and research on emotions within each of the four major theoretical traditions that have shaped—and continue to shape —how psychologists think about emotions. KEY TOPICS: Written in an informal style, it explains how each perspective defines, constructs theories about, and conducts research on emotion — and presents four often very different pictures of what emotions are thought to be. An abundance of examples drawn from real life, literature, and popular culture, and “thought experiments” help readers relate topics to the emotions they experience in their own lives.