EMOTION IS A NETWORK WITH MULTIPLE COMPONENTS

Abstract

I argue that having an emotion is having a network of multiple components—typically feelings, bodily changes, evaluations, and action tendencies. By making this claim, first, I reject the classical approach which singles out an element that defines emotion and propose that multiple elements mutually explain emotion. Second, I reject that there is a clear set of necessary and sufficient conditions for emotion; emotion is a family resemblance and a prototypical category. Third, I reject that there is a fixed order among the elements of emotions; elements can come in any order. The interactions between elements are bi-directional and circular, rather than linear. The multiple elements attract each other and form a network.