Towards a Theory of Emotional Autonomy
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Abstract
The author challenges the emotional contagion theory and proposes an alternative of emotional autonomy. He critiques how the contagion theory is faulty logic because it assumes different individuals may experience identical emotions, rather than each having their own phenomenological experience even though the outward signs may look similar. A way of ascertaining individual experiences of emotions is suggested, followed by an example of the experiences of pain, before the conclusion that we should adopt within the literature the assumptions of emotional autonomy.
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