The Nature and Study of Appraisal: A Review of the Issues

Abstract

Abstract This book has focused on appraisal as the central mechanism in the elicitation and differentiation of emotion, providing an up-to-date survey of current theorizing and research. This concluding chapter will take stock of the convergences and differences emerging from the contributions to this book and point to open issues and desiderata for future work in this area. This attempt at integration and extrapolation is a highly personal, subjective enterprise that is unlikely to reflect the views of all contributors. In fact, in some cases some of the opinions expressed in particular chapters are challenged, flagging points of divergence for future discussion. Definitional and terminological issues will be examined briefly before turning to central theoretical issues, addressing both the structure and process of appraisal as well as factors related to variability and context. In conclusion, the research desiderata that have been identified in this book will be reviewed.