Abstract

PANTOJA, Andréa P. F.  and  NELSON-GOENS, G. Christina. Development of early emotional life during the second year of life: narratives and dynamic systems. Psicol. Reflex. Crit. [online]. 2000, vol.13, n.2, pp. 269-280. ISSN 0102-7972.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722000000200007.

Emotions have been investigated traditionally as internal and pre-existing states manifested in the face. This paper proposes an alternative perspective by illustrating the theoretical and methodological utility of the concepts of narratives and dynamic systems to the study of emotions. Emotions are conceived as emerging from the interaction between the individual and the environment. We consider the body, vocal, and facial actions of both partners simultaneously, as well as the communicative contexts created during their interaction. We use the method of narrative analysis to capture the emergent and social nature of emotions in one mother-infant dyad during the second year of life. We aim to elucidate how the development of emotions emerge from the subtle transformations in the daily relationship of the mother-infant dyad.

Keywords : Emotion; narratives; dynamic systems; emergent.