Emotion and Motivation

Emotion and Motivation, 4th Edition is an academic textbook designed for undergraduates and higher education students studying psychological science. Authors Michelle (Lani) Shiota and Sarah Rose Cavanagh present a structured overview of human affect, behavioral drives, and emotional mechanisms.

The text traces how internal drives and feelings operate through foundational definitions, evolutionary origins, and cultural contexts. It expands into the activation of emotions, expressions across facial and vocal modalities, cognitive interactions, and the distinctions between positive affect and negative emotional states. Additional sections evaluate the role of affect within social relationships, clinical psychology settings, and personal self-control strategies.

A distinct analytical focus of this volume is its engagement with methodological limitations, replication failures, contradictory empirical findings, and active controversies within psychological research. By combining historical foundational studies with contemporary scientific literature, the volume prepares undergraduate students to evaluate empirical evidence critically across introductory and advanced courses in psychological science.