This fascinating and accessible book overviews the psychology of the emotions in its broadest sense, tracing historical, social, cultural and biological themes and analyses. From the standpoint of the function of the emotions in everyday life, the authors focus on the following three themes:· The discursive role played by the emotions in expressing judgements about, attitudes to and even contrition for actions done by the self and others. Also considered here is the way certain emotions - such as guilt, shame, embarrassment, chagrin and regret - seem to play a role in social control. · The variation and diversity in emotion, which provides ample scope for exploring how patterns of emotion contrast in different societies, across gender lines, at different historical times, and between children and adults. · The way in which the body is shaped and its functions influenced by culturally maintained patterns of emotion displays. These strands are drawn together to produce a new theoretical synthesis by some of the leading figures in the field. The Emotions will prove invaluable to those in social, developmental and cross-cultural psychology, and especially to those studying the psychology of the emotions. It will also be of interest to students of cognitive and social anthropology and the humanities.