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The adaptiveness of fear (and other emotions) considered more broadly: Missed literature on the nature of emotions and its functions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2023

Margaret S. Clark ,
Chance Adkins ,
Jennifer Hirsch ,
Hannah S. Elizabeth  and
Noah T. Reed
Margaret S. Clark
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205 margaret.clark@yale.edu, chance.adkins@yale.edu, Hannah.elizabeth@yale.edu, noah.reed@yale.edu http://clarkrelationshiplab.yale.edu http://noah-reed.com
Chance Adkins
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205 margaret.clark@yale.edu, chance.adkins@yale.edu, Hannah.elizabeth@yale.edu, noah.reed@yale.edu http://clarkrelationshiplab.yale.edu http://noah-reed.com
Jennifer Hirsch
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA, Jennifer.hirsch@pitt.edu
Hannah S. Elizabeth
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205 margaret.clark@yale.edu, chance.adkins@yale.edu, Hannah.elizabeth@yale.edu, noah.reed@yale.edu http://clarkrelationshiplab.yale.edu http://noah-reed.com
Noah T. Reed
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205 margaret.clark@yale.edu, chance.adkins@yale.edu, Hannah.elizabeth@yale.edu, noah.reed@yale.edu http://clarkrelationshiplab.yale.edu http://noah-reed.com
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Abstract

We agree with Grossmann that fear often builds cooperative relationships. Yet he neglects much extant literature. Prior researchers have discussed how fear (and other emotions) build cooperative relationships, have questioned whether fear per se evolved to serve this purpose, and have emphasized that human cooperation takes many forms. Grossmann's theory would benefit from a wider consideration of this work.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e58
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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