Conceptualising valences in emotion theories: A sociological approach

Emotions and affect are typically conceptualized along a valence dichotomy, for example with anger labeled as negative and happiness as positive. What does it mean for emotions to be considered positive or negative? More generally, “What is emotional valence?” To address these questions, we review limitations of existing critiques of the valence construct, trace its origins in Western philosophy, before proposing alternative ways of conceptualizing emotional valence. These alternatives emphasize that the valence of emotions is very much affected by the interaction among the social context in which an emotion is first experienced, the salience of self and identities tied to self in this context, the appraisal of the initial emotional response, the attributions about the causes of these emotions, and the operation of defense mechanisms protecting self from negative self-evaluations. These dynamics are both biologically, psychologically, and socioculturally based; and thus, a theory of valence must operate at these three levels of social reality. This new conceptualization of the dynamics of valence formation can explain emotional fluctuations among individuals in all types of societies; and when applied to late modern societies, the theory offers a means for understanding the complexity of persons’ emotional responses to late modern conditions