ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how people identify (describe or categorize) what they or others are feeling. The introduction argues that the human body is often ambiguous and open to interpretation. Subsequent sections describe seven social factors that shape how we characterize feelings. A boxed insert (“Spotlight on Research”) focuses in-depth on a study of social media—how people use of emojis to depict emotional states. The final section offers suggestions for additional reading as well as exercises that can be used as written assignments or as prompts for in-class discussions.
