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Levels of Valence

The distinction between the positive and the negative is fundamental in our emotional life. In appraisal theories, in particular in the component process model of emotion (Scherer, 1984, 2010), qualitatively different types of valence are proposed based on appraisals of (un)pleasantness, goal obstru...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Shuman, Vera, Sander, David, Scherer, Klaus R.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2013
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3651968/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23717292
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00261
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author Shuman, Vera
Sander, David
Scherer, Klaus R.
author_facet Shuman, Vera
Sander, David
Scherer, Klaus R.
author_sort Shuman, Vera
collection PubMed
description The distinction between the positive and the negative is fundamental in our emotional life. In appraisal theories, in particular in the component process model of emotion (Scherer, 1984, 2010), qualitatively different types of valence are proposed based on appraisals of (un)pleasantness, goal obstructiveness/conduciveness, low or high power, self-(in)congruence, and moral badness/goodness. This multifaceted conceptualization of valence is highly compatible with the frequent observation of mixed feelings in real life. However, it seems to contradict the one-dimensional conceptualization of valence often encountered in psychological theories, and the notion of valence as a common currency used to explain choice behavior. Here, we propose a framework to integrate the seemingly disparate conceptualizations of multifaceted valence and one-dimensional valence by suggesting that valence should be conceived at different levels, micro and macro. Micro-valences correspond to qualitatively different types of evaluations, potentially resulting in mixed feelings, whereas one-dimensional macro-valence corresponds to an integrative “common currency” to compare alternatives for choices. We propose that conceptualizing levels of valence may focus research attention on the mechanisms that relate valence at one level (micro) to valence at another level (macro), leading to new hypotheses, and addressing various concerns that have been raised about the valence concept, such as the valence-emotion relation.
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spelling pubmed-36519682013-05-28 Levels of Valence Shuman, Vera Sander, David Scherer, Klaus R. Front Psychol Psychology The distinction between the positive and the negative is fundamental in our emotional life. In appraisal theories, in particular in the component process model of emotion (Scherer, 1984, 2010), qualitatively different types of valence are proposed based on appraisals of (un)pleasantness, goal obstructiveness/conduciveness, low or high power, self-(in)congruence, and moral badness/goodness. This multifaceted conceptualization of valence is highly compatible with the frequent observation of mixed feelings in real life. However, it seems to contradict the one-dimensional conceptualization of valence often encountered in psychological theories, and the notion of valence as a common currency used to explain choice behavior. Here, we propose a framework to integrate the seemingly disparate conceptualizations of multifaceted valence and one-dimensional valence by suggesting that valence should be conceived at different levels, micro and macro. Micro-valences correspond to qualitatively different types of evaluations, potentially resulting in mixed feelings, whereas one-dimensional macro-valence corresponds to an integrative “common currency” to compare alternatives for choices. We propose that conceptualizing levels of valence may focus research attention on the mechanisms that relate valence at one level (micro) to valence at another level (macro), leading to new hypotheses, and addressing various concerns that have been raised about the valence concept, such as the valence-emotion relation. Frontiers Media S.A. 2013-05-13 /pmc/articles/PMC3651968/ /pubmed/23717292 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00261 Text en Copyright © 2013 Shuman, Sander and Scherer. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in other forums, provided the original authors and source are credited and subject to any copyright notices concerning any third-party graphics etc.
spellingShingle Psychology
Shuman, Vera
Sander, David
Scherer, Klaus R.
Levels of Valence
title Levels of Valence
title_full Levels of Valence
title_fullStr Levels of Valence
title_full_unstemmed Levels of Valence
title_short Levels of Valence
title_sort levels of valence
topic Psychology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3651968/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23717292
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00261
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