Emotional Development, Theory and Applications: A Neo-Piagetian Perspective

Freud's assumption that our emotions are instinctual and innate, and that they reside in our unconscious, is still the dominant notion in our conventional wisdom. If our emotions are instinctual and innate, then they have little relationship to our needs and values, and they do not change in the course of development. This book advances a contemporary theory of emotional development, a neo-Piagetian theory that postulates that both our feelings and emotions are cognitive constructions that are informed by our needs and values, and that our feelings and emotions change considerably in the course of development. Using interview and original case material, the author illustrates his theory's application to both short- and long-term psychotherapy, as well as the implications for research, assessment, emotional education, and counseling.