ABSTRACT
Excitation-transfer theory and the more inclusive three-factor theory of emotion might well be regarded as the crown jewels of Dolf Zillmann’s abundant contributions to theory construction. Without question, Zillmann developed an invaluable model from this complex fusion of elements from psychophysiology, biochemistry, communication, and cognate disciplines. Today, some 30 years after Zillmann’s initial articulation of excitation-transfer theory, we have a cogent, elegant, and extremely comprehensive theory of communication and emotion that explains and predicts a vast array of human communication behaviors. Artfully developed and scrupulously researched by Zillmann and several generations of graduate student mentees, these complex theories provide roadmaps in several uncharted territories of emotionality.
