Interest and interests: The psychology of constructive capriciousness.

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Paul Silvia, Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: The abiding interest that sustains scientific research has only rarely been displaced onto interest itself. What little research there is, however, has pursued one of two parallel paths. The first path is the study of interest as a transient affective state. Emotion psychology—this path's primary traveler—has historically viewed interest as the black sheep in the flock of basic emotions. The ?prototypical? negative emotions such as anger and fear have received the lion's share of research, leaving interest and the other positive emotions in relative obscurity (Fredrickson, 1998). But mere neglect aside, many venerable shepherds have kicked interest out of the flock entirely. Interest isn't included in many major emotion theories, beginning with Darwin (1872/1998) and continuing with contemporary models (Carver & Scheier, 1998; Lazarus, 1991; Oatley & Johnson-Laird, 1996; Ortony, Clore, & Collins, 1988).

Additional Information

Publication
Review of General Psychology, 5, 270-290
Language: English
Date: 2001
Keywords
Constructive capriciousness,

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