A Structuralist Reconstruction of Wundt's Three-Dimensional Theory of Emotion

A structuralist reconstruction of Wilhelm Wundt's three-dimensional theory ot emotion ana a sketch of its theoretical environment are presented. Wundt's theory, a quantitative theory of the structure of emotional experience, is reconstructed as a small theory-net consisting of the basic theory-element TE(WUNDT) and several specializations. The main substantive axiom of TE(WUNDT) postulates that each emotional quality, unless itself basic, results from the fusion of a characteristic "mixture" of six basic forms of feeling: Pleasure, displeasure, excitement, inhibition (tranquillization), tension, and relaxation. A second axiom holds that these basic feeling qualities are organized into three "bipolar" dimensions; and the third axiom claims that the basic emotions experienced with regard to complex objects are a fusion of the corresponding basic feelings directed at the components of the complex objects. The constraint of the theory holds that the mixtures of basic feelings characteristic for the various nonbasic emotions are the same across different admissible models. Specializations of the theory result from different possible specifications of the central fusion axiom, as well as from additional constraints requiring interindividual and transtemporal constancy.of the emotional reactions to some kinds of objects. It is suggested that only one concept of the theory, the quality function q (which assigns characteristic proportions of basic feelings to the nonbasic emotions), is T-theoretical. A link.from a theory of emotion measurement to TE{WUNDT) is sketched, and the intended applications of the theory are briefly discussed. Finally, an outline of the larger theory-net of basic emotion theories to which Wundt's theory belongs is presented.