A social constructionist critique of the naturalistic theory of emotion

Abstract

The doctrine that emotions are products of natural mechanisms is critiqued from a social constructionist perspective. Evidence marshelled in support of the naturalistic theory is also subjected to critical analysis and found wanting. The social constructionist theory of emotion is proposed as more adequate than the naturalistic theory. Since emotion exemplifies psychological phenomena in general, the social constructionist theory that explains it is considered worthy of explaining the entire range of psychological phenomena