H-137 Emotional Development: Biology, Relationships, Culture
Kurt Fischer
Biology grounds emotions, and at the same time, relationships and cultures evoke and shape emotions. In turn, emotions guide people's actions and mold their development. We will examine foundational work on emotions and emotional development from classic work such as Darwin and psychodynamics through modern emotion research about attribution, development, culture, and neuroscience. Cases and examples will emphasize how emotions interact with learning and development. Central questions include: How do relationships and learning shape emotions, and how do emotions shape relationships and learning? What roles do emotions and relationships play in embodying cultures? What are documented pathways in the development of emotions and relationships? Class format combines discussion, debate, and lecture. Students will write several essays for the class, including a take-home exam.
This course is also offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as Psychology 21.
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