The Interpersonal Dynamics of Emotion: Toward an Integrative Theory of Emotions as Social Information

Description

Emotions are an elemental part of life - they imbue our existence with meaning and purpose, and influence how we engage with the world around us. But we do not just feel our own emotions; we typically express them in the presence of other people. How do our emotional expressions affect others? Moving beyond the traditional intrapersonal perspective, this is the first book dedicated to exploring the pervasive interpersonal dynamics of emotions. Integrating existing theory and research, van Kleef develops the Emotions as Social Information (EASI) theory, a groundbreaking comprehensive framework that explains how emotional expressions influence observers across all domains of life, from close relationships to group settings, conflict and negotiation, customer service, and leader-follower relations. His deeply social perspective sheds new light on the fundamental question of why we have emotions in the first place - the social influence emotions engender may very well constitute their raison d'etre.

Gerben A. van Kleef is Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Amsterdam. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam in 2004 and has held visiting appointments at the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University, New York. He has received numerous awards for his scholarship, including the best dissertation award of the International Association for Conflict Management, the early career award of the European Association of Social Psychology, and the most influential paper award of the Academy of Management. He is currently Chair of the Social Psychology department at the University of Amsterdam and Associate Editor of Social Psychological and Personality Science.

'... van Kleef presents an engaging account of the role of emotions in our social life that is faithful to the latest scientific evidence. It is the most comprehensive treatment to date of the entire field of social emotion.' Hillary Anger Elfenbein, Washington University, St Louis 'An admirable achievement and an essential resource, this ambitious synthesis couples van Kleef's theory of Emotions as Social Information (EASI) with a comprehensive, integrative review of the rapidly growing research literature on the social effects of emotions in groups, relationships, and organizations.' W. Gerrod Parrott, Georgetown University, Washington DC 'In this deeply insightful book, Gerben A. van Kleef offers a revolutionary view of the emotions, one fitting for our hypersocial twenty-first century. Drawing upon the latest science, van Kleef reveals the principles by which emotions shape our many relationships, from those between young lovers to colleagues at work. Reading this lucid, brilliant book will not only give you insights into your emotional life, but into emotional lives of those people around you as well.' Dacher Keltner, University of California, Berkeley 'Readers of The Interpersonal Dynamics of Emotion by Gerben A. van Kleef will discover the many ways in which our behaviors and attitudes are shaped by the emotions that other people express during social interactions. The ability to understand the profound influences of expressed emotions should prove extremely useful to those interested in leading, negotiating, and cooperating with others more effectively.' Stephane Cote, University of Toronto