Book: How Emotions are Made

IST 394-01

A Close Reading of Lisa Feldman Barrett’s How Emotions are Made

The Book

Why do emotions feel automatic and uncontrollable? Does rational thought really control emotion? How does emotion affect disease? How can you make your children more emotionally intelligent? How Emotions Are Made answers these questions and many more, revealing the latest research and intriguing practical applications of the new science of emotion, mind, and brain.

Today, the science of emotion is in the midst of a revolution on par with the discovery of relativity in physics and natural selection in biology — and this paradigm shift has immense implications for us all. Leading the charge is psychologist and neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett, whose theory of emotion is driving a deeper understanding of the mind and brain, and shedding new light on what it means to be human. Her research overturns the widely held belief that emotions live in distinct parts of the brain and are universally expressed and recognized. Instead, she has shown that emotion is constructed in the moment, by core systems that interact across the whole brain, aided by a lifetime of learning.

This new theory means that you play a much greater role in your emotional life than you ever thought. Its repercussions are already shaking the foundations not only of psychology but also of medicine, the legal system, child-rearing, meditation, and even airport security.

- How Emotions Are Made | Lisa Feldman Barrett. (2016, November 28). Lisa Feldman Barrett. Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/books/how-emotions-are-made/

 

The Author

Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, is a University Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, with appointments at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to the book How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain, Dr. Barrett has published over 200 peer-reviewed, scientific papers appearing in Science, Nature Neuroscience, and other top journals in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, as well as six academic volumes published by Guilford Press. She has also given a popular TED talk.

Dr. Barrett received a National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award for her revolutionary research on emotion in the brain. These highly competitive, multimillion dollar awards are given to scientists of exceptional creativity who are expected to transform biomedical and behavioral research. She also received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2019.

Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Barrett has testified before Congress, presented her research to the FBI, consulted to the National Cancer Institute, appeared on Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman and The Today Show with Maria Shriver, and been a featured guest on public television and worldwide radio programs. She is also an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada.

- Lisa Feldman Barrett | Lisa Feldman Barrett. (n.d.). Lisa Feldman Barrett. Retrieved June 8, 2020, from https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/about/

 

The Course

IST 394-01 is a topics course we will dedicate to a close reading of Lisa Feldman Barrett’s How Emotions Are Made, which invites insights from different academic perspectives. This course is open to students and faculty from different disciplines and programs. Participants can take the  can take the course for one hour of credit or sit in and join the conversation. 

If you want to sit in without credit, please sign up so that we can add you to the Canvas shell and share the reading schedule and any announcements.

 

How it Works

Operation

Our meeting time is still Mondays at noon. We will meet through the Zoom online conference platform. Use your browser or download the app.  A link will be available on this Canvas site. You just need an internet connection, a web cam, and a microphone.  

Objectives/Expectations

• • • • Students taking the class for credit will be expected to attend and participate in Monday discussions.  Students should commit 6 to 7 hours per week to the course. Participation will count 30% toward the final grade.
      • They should have read all assigned material and be prepared to summarize briefly interesting aspects of the assigned reading for the group.
      • Each week they should submit a two page reflection on a topic or issue in the assigned chapters, and include a brief discussion of at least one related article or chapter. Read our expectations for Reflection Papers. Reflection papers will count 70% toward the final grade.
      • Read about our expectations and tips for successful Zoom discussion meetings.

Policies and Support

You can find university and course policies here.  More about student conduct, rights, and advocacy can be found at SCRA and academic resources are found at Student Support Services.

 

The Schedule

Note that because of the Labor Day holiday we will only have six meetings.

August 17	Discuss Introduction through Chapter 2
August 24	Discuss Chapter 3 through Chapter 4
August 31	Discuss Chapter 5 through Chapter 7
September 7	No Classes - Labor Day
September 14	Discuss Chapter 8 through Chapter 9
September 21	Discuss Chapter 10 through Chapter 11
September 28	Discuss Chapter 12 through Chapter 13