Putting Emotion in Context: Its Place Within Individual and Social Narratives

Abstract The articles presented in this special issue have located emotional responses within more complex narratives dictated by both individual histories and the larger sociocultural context. A major thesis running through these articles is that the study of emotion as a physiological response in the laboratory loses sight of the meanings expressed by emotions in interpersonal and social trans-actions. A deeper understanding of anger, love, and even boredom can be reached by looking at how these aspects of emotional life are expressed in narrative scenarios that involve the adopting of roles, the sharing of expecta-tions, and the stipulation of particular actions. Finally, contextual perspectives challenge researchers to scrutinize and bring to light the narrative expectations their own studies create for the participants involved. (Personality Psychology)