Emotionography Theory, Research, and Practice

This book explains emotionography, the study of how emotions are expressed through conversation and in real time. By understanding emotion as part of an interactional process, researchers and practitioners can enhance their communication practices and understanding of research participants, clients, and populations.

Jonathan Potter, DPhil, is professor emeritus and dean of the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. Dr. Potter is an expert in the field of discourse studies, with a focus on how careful analyses of interaction can be a route to the understanding and sometimes even reworking of basic psychological questions. Throughout his research career, Dr. Potter has addressed fundamental issues of theory and method, and he has made substantial research contributions in the area of language and racism, the operation of helplines, and the role of cognition in communication. He is associate editor of the journal Theory & Psychology, and is a member of the Academy of Social Sciences.

Alexa Hepburn, PhD, is professor emerita of communication at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. She has published widely on the science of human interaction, as well as on developments in discursive and critical psychology. Dr. Hepburn’s research focuses on the use and development of conversation analytic methods, including the notation and analysis of emotional expression within social interaction; the interactional role of interrogatives such as tag questions; parents’ strategies for managing their children’s behavior; and the empirical grounding of these interests in everyday interaction. Her work highlights limitations in more traditional perspectives on emotion and influence, and supports applied work in professional client encounters including medical consultations, and helpline interactions. Dr. Hepburn also continues to develop and deliver training workshops to practitioners.