How does culture shape emotion?
Use the theory of Symbolic Interactionism and the emotion of jealousy (you can use more emotions if you like) to explain and illustrate the impact that culture has on emotion.
Be sure to include these elements:
describe the three different categories of emotion (basic, culturally specific, & higher cognitive; which one is jealousy?)
explain the theory of Symbolic Interactionism, including its 3 premises
use Symbolic Interactionism to explain how jealousy can be inspired by different things in different places and times
explain the ways in which culture works to shape the eliciting, experience and understanding of emotion.
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Your essay will be graded on the following dimensions:
strong and clear thesis in bold print
full response to entire prompt
clear argument (if you want to see if your argument makes sense, you may want to try verbally sharing it with friends and/or family)
well-written
strong use of required course readings (see below for the best ones to use) to support your argument
creativity—make the topic your own! (OWN IT!)
this should be an essay—an original argument—not just an answer to the above set of questions
free of errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
bibliography in APA style formatting
page numbers, please
Grading Rubric (10 total points)
____/1 point clear, distinct, compelling thesis in bold print
____/1 point clear and complete description of 3 categories of emotion
____/1 point clear explanation of theory of Symbolic Interactionism
____/1 point application of theory of Symbolic Interactionism
____/1 point discussion of jealousy
____/1 points clear & compelling argument
____/2 points use of required course readings (with quotes) (Clanton & Lutz are crucial)
____/1 points overall quality, including quality of writing
____/1 point APA style bibliography
Especially great readings to use (in this order)
O’Brien, J. (2001). Shared Meaning as the Basis of Humanness. The Production of Reality: Essays and Readings on Social Interaction (3rd Edition) (pp. 63-85). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Clanton, G. (1989) Jealousy in American Culture, 1945-1985: Reflections from Popular Literature. In T. Hood (Ed.), The Sociology of Emotions: Original Essays and Research Papers (pp. 179-193). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Lutz, C. (1988). The Cultural Construction of Emotions. The Ethnopsychological Contexts of Emotion: Ifaluk Beliefs about the Person; Need, Nurturance, and the Precariousness of Life on an Atoll: The Emotion of Fago (Compassion/Love/Sadness). Unnatural Emotions: Everyday Sentiments on a Micronesian Atoll and Their Challenge to Western Theory (pp. 3-13, 81-154). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Solomon, R.C. (2007). Jealousy. Emotions Across Cultures. True to Our Feelings: What Our Emotions Are Really Telling Us (105-109, 252-262). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Hochschild, A. R. (2012). Appendix A. Appendix B. The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling, Updated with a New Preface (pp. 211-232, 233-239). Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
