Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions (Series in Affective Science)

Panksepp, Jaak

ISBN 10: 019517805X / ISBN 13: 9780195178050

Published by Oxford University Press, 2004

About this Item

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions (Series in Affective Science)
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 019517805X
• ISBN 13: 9780195178050
• Binding: paperback
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Some investigators have argued that emotions, especially animal emotions, are illusory concepts outside the realm of scientific inquiry. With advances in neurobiology and neuroscience, however, researchers are proving this position wrong while moving closer to understanding the biology and psychology of emotion. In Affective Neuroscience, Jaak Panksepp argues that emotional systems in humans, as well as other animals, are necessarily combinations of innate and learned tendencies; there are no routine and credible ways to really separate the influences of nature and nurture in the control of behavior. The book shows how to move toward a new understanding by taking a psychobiological approach to the subject, examining how the neurobiology and neurochemistry of the mammalian brain shape the psychological experience of emotion. It includes chapters on sleep and arousal, pleasure and pain systems, the sources of rage and anger, and the neural control of sexuality. The book will appeal to researchers and professors in the field of emotion.

Review

It is an invaluable reference for any neuroscientist interested in understanding the neurobiological basis of drives and emotions where the best information is contained in the animal literature. This is the strength of Panksepp's book which summarizes and references these data around clinically recognizable concepts making the information highly relevant to practising clinicians. (Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences)

Jaak Panksepp presents a synopsis of animal research on emotion together with stimulating new ideas on the role and representation of emotion in humans and other mammals. It seemed clear to me that Panksepp's affective neuroscience can provide a valuable foundation to emotion research. These are not entirely new ideas, but by presenting them in a comprehensive text on the neuroscience of emotion, Panksepp constructs a strong defence against the not uncommon view that emotions are 'illusionary concepts outside the realm of scientific enquiry.' For this reason alone, Panksepp is to be congratulated. This is a powerful text that will make a lasting impression on emotion research in general. Panksepp has provided a much-needed review of the animal literature,together with fascinating new ideas on the nature of affective consciousness. (Andy Calder, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK)