Predicting Emotions in Groups

Some Lessons from September 11

Bibliographic Data

ID3347445
AuthorsTheodore D Kemper (corresponding author)
Year2002
Volume50
Issue2_suppl
Pages53-68
Publication date2002-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Sociological Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0038-0261 • E-ISSN: 1467-954X
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-954x.2002.tb03591.x
OpenAlexW2074508953
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited12

First, this chapter examines the emotional responses of 10 different publics to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Through the application of power/status theory (Kemper, 1978), different publics are hypothesized to have different emotions. In all, six emotions-anger, sadness, fear, joy, guilt and shame-are differentially attributed to the ten publics. Second, this chapter inquires into the efficacy of predicting emotions for both individuals and groups. Predictions for individuals may have somewhat greater utility, given that they provide for enlightenment and control, but for both individuals and groups, emotions may be seen as intervening variables of relatively low sociological value. It would be more important sociologically to know the coping responses the emotions lead to. Here theory is relatively scant. Four structural conditions are proposed that may advance understanding of how, under certain conditions, emotions may lead to sociologically relevant coping. Finally, this chapter considers some differences between individual emotions and what may be called 'group' emotions. The principle difference is that individuals, even when emotionally conflicted, experience emotions in their entirety, while groups usually experience a division of labour of the emotion, with different members differentially invested in what can be seen as the dominant emotion of the group. Unlike in individuals, where conflicting emotions are likely to be resolved by a coping response that attempts to accommodate the competing emotions, group coping responses unfold in a social process that is sometimes violent, as different factions compete to establish their emotions and preferred coping responses as conclusive for the entire group

Anger · Coping (psychology) · Emotion classification · Feeling · Sadness · Shame · Clinical Psychology · Cultural Differences and Values · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Psychology · Social Power and Status Dynamics · Social Psychology

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