Cited by 2,602Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

The circumplex model of affect: An integrative approach to affective neuroscience, cognitive development, and psychopathology

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POSNER, JONATHAN, RUSSELL, JAMES A., PETERSON, BRADLEY S.·2005·Development and Psychopathology

Abstract

The circumplex model of affect proposes that all affective states arise from cognitive interpretations of core neural sensations that are the product of two independent neurophysiological systems. This model stands in contrast to theories of basic emotions, which posit that a discrete and independent neural system subserves every emotion. We propose that basic emotion theories no longer explain adequately the vast number of empirical observations from studies in affective neuroscience, and we suggest that a conceptual shift is needed in the empirical approaches taken to the study of emotion and affective psychopathologies. The circumplex model of affect is more consistent with many recent findings from behavioral, cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, and developmental studies of affect. Moreover, the model offers new theoretical and empirical approaches to studying the development of affective disorders as well as the genetic and cognitive underpinnings of affective processing within the central nervous system. This work was supported in part by NIMH Grants MH01232, MH59139, MH36197, MHK02-74677, and MH068318; a grant from the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders (NARSAD); NSF Grant BSC-0421702; and funding from the Thomas D. Klingenstein and Nancy D. Perlman Family Fund and the Suzanne Crosby Murphy Endowment at Columbia University.

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  • These opposite effects on ISC fit with proposed distinction between valence and arousal representations in brain and highlight neurobehavioral functions that emotional arousal and valence may have in human social interaction.

    “These opposite effects on ISC fit with the proposed distinction between valence and arousal representations in the brain (31,32) and they also highlight the neurobehavioral functions that emotional arousal and valence may have in human social interaction.”

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Authors
POSNER, J., RUSSELL, J. A., & PETERSON, B. S.
Affiliations
  • New York State Psychiatric Institute (US)
  • Boston College (US)
Venue
Development and Psychopathology
Published
2005-09
Volume
17
Issue
3
Pages
715-734
ISSN
  • 0954-5794 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-2198
OpenAlex
W2165857685
Cited by
2,602
References
149
Citations by year
2026: 161 · 2025: 177 · 2024: 226 · 2023: 213 · 2022: 240 · 2021: 266 · 2020: 222 · 2019: 170 · 2018: 225 · 2017: 174 · 2016: 127 · 2015: 73 · 2014: 58 · 2013: 61 · 2012: 51
FWCI
1.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Development and Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH‐K02‐74677, MH 36197, R01MH036197, MH59139, R01MH059139, MH-01232, R01MH068318, MH 068318, K08MH001232)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA017820)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
circumplex model of affect, basic emotions, affective neuroscience, cognitive development, mood disorders, neural systems, emotion theory
MeSH terms
Affect, Arousal, Mental Disorders, Brain, Cognition, Facial Expression, Humans, Nerve Net, Neurosciences, Psychological Theory, Temperament, Visual Perception

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