EMOTIONS AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING: A DURKHEIMIAN INTERPRETATION OF SCHEFF'S THEORY OF CREATIVITY

Abstract

Scheff (1990, p. 4) describes the maintenance of bonds as the most crucial human motive. He argues that while “money, power, sex, and other such externals may appear to be motives in themselves,” the “fundamental” motive even in these cases is “maintenance or enhancement of one's standing in the eyes of others” (Scheff, 1990, p. 8). From this perspective, people who want money usually don’t want it to buy a hot tub or a car, but so that their friends and family members will be proud of them. People don’t want power to influence policy decisions, but so that they can attain the respect of their fellows. People don’t look for sexual release in their relationships with others, but want to be loved.

Citation

Derné, S. and Jadwin, L. (2005), "EMOTIONS AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING: A DURKHEIMIAN INTERPRETATION OF SCHEFF'S THEORY OF CREATIVITY", Denzin, N.K. (Ed.) Studies in Symbolic Interaction (Studies in Symbolic Interaction, Vol. 28), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 309-322. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-2396(04)28023-1