Peace Learning Center (PLC) is an Indianapolis-based organization that promotes peace building and character education. Just like the rules of the road for driving, PLC establishes safe and common ways to deal with conflicts and differences.
Started in 1997 in Eagle Creek Park, Peace Learning Center has reached more than 100,000 people. With a mission to promote a culture of peace through education to youth and communities, PLC believes all people have the capacity to resolve conflicts peacefully.
Peace Learning Center grew from a one building program with six staff to a three campus operation (Eagle Creek Park, Fall Creek Park, and Columbus Youth Camp) with thirty-five full-time personnel and a $1.2 million budget providing direct service to youth and adults who serve youth. Ninety-five percent of PLC funding goes directly into programs and services.
PLC has been honored with: the IUPUI - Chancellor’s Community Award for Civic Engagement - 2007,
Indiana Youth Institute - Youth Investment Award - 2006, Indiana Department of Education - Service Learning Star Award - 2006, the World Council of Churches - Blessed are the Peacemakers Award - 2004, Sam H. Jones Best of the Best Diversity Award - 2003, Indianapolis Education Association’s Spirit of Martin Luther King Award - 2003, Indiana Achievement Award for Innovation - 2001.
PLC has been recognized by the Indianapolis Crime Prevention Task Force report as “a local ‘best practice’ that has demonstrated the effectiveness of teaching young adults and at-risk youth creative ways of resolving conflicts, personal responsibility, and character building.” The report recommends an expansion of PLC middle and high school programs, as well as more work in juvenile justice.
PROGRAMS
PEACE EDUCATION
Peace Education provides an interactive day of learning that includes follow-up lessons and an in-class mediation process. Students learn community leadership, conflict resolution, and non-violent self defense. Focusing on personal responsibility and critical thinking, youth participate in role plays and a nature walk.
PEACE LEARNING CAMP
Peace Learning Camp provides a three-day overnight experience at Columbus Youth Camp in Southern, Indiana. Students engage in small group learning about interpersonal communication, diversity appreciation, and environmental stewardship while improving their peacebuilding skills. High ropes challenge education, community responsibility, and traditional camping make an innovative, transforming program.
PEACE LEARNING SERVICES
Hosting workshops on-site and at our campuses, participants learn to address the root causes of conflict through dialogue and active learning. Non-violent alternatives, conflict resolution, cooperation, empathy and self esteem are included in a wide variety of topics offered. Workshops from one-hour to five days engage youth in programming.
YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMSPeace Learning Center facilitators serve youth involved in the criminal justice system. Participants are engaged in conflict resolution, personal responsibility and character building activities using challenge education and experiential learning.
SUMMER PROGRAMPeace Learning Center provides a full-day peace leadership experience that includes conflict resolution, diversity awareness, peer-to-peer dialogue and a nature walk. We invite summer camps, teen groups, and community organizations to engage their youth in learning.
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS
From one-hour skill building workshops to three-day retreats, Peace Learning Center engages teams from schools, businesses, community and faith-based organizations to learn communication and peacebuilding skills. To plan services, Peace Learning Center conducts asset and needs assessments to tailor experiences to meet the group’s needs.
INTERNATIONAL INTERFAITH INITIATIVES
Beyond the focus on Central Indiana, PLC is becoming an international model for youth leadership in peace education. Over the last six years through networking and a strong Internet presence, PLC has participated in and been host to a wide array of international opportunities. A few examples include partnerships with the U.S. State Department, the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem, Ambassadors for Children outreach to Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, as well as partnering with Indianapolis Rotary for programs in Jamaica. PLC also has hosted visits by students from Northern Ireland and the Philippines. In addition, PLC established the Help Increase the Peace program in Nigeria and Ghana as part of a United Nation’s effort to combat violence and increase understanding. These activities complement and enhance PLC’s work with Indiana’s youth.
ANNUAL COMMUNITY EVENTS
Our Beloved Community Festival honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is held at Christian Theological Seminary the Saturday before the MLK Holiday. Each spring, the Celebration of Peace brings together over 1,000 young people involved in positive community change. Beginning in 2007, PLC will host an annual event that will recognize its supporters and celebrate the year’s accomplishments.
COLLABORATIONS
Peace Learning Center is an exceptional example of public and private collaborations. PLC would not exist with out substantive community collaborations:
 City of Indianapolis and the City of Lawrence provide program and administrative space at Eagle Creek Park and Fall Creek Park where youth and families attend workshops and cultural experiences.
 Over 100 schools send their students to our three campuses for learning plus host our facilitators for in-class follow-up and experiences.
 A diverse array of foundations, corporations, and individuals provide over $1,200,000 each year in funding to implement PLC programs.
RESULTS
Since 1997, Peace Learning Center has made great strides establishing itself as a community resource for peace and diversity education in Indianapolis. Through partnerships and collaboration, Peace Learning Center has accomplished many activities:
 Provided intensive peace education to over 45,000 4th and 5th graders in the Indianapolis Public Schools and other students at Eagle Creek and Fall Creek Parks.
 Instituted Peace Learning Camp for 8,000 6th grade participants - a three-day, two-night experience to learn how to peacefully deal with conflict and explore the natural environment.
 Taught conflict resolution skills to over 9,000 young people from domestic violence shelters, summer camps, community centers, and after-school programs.
 Established 35 school-based peer mediation programs, forming mentoring programs, Peace Clubs, and building strong community school partnerships impacting over 19,000 students, parents and school staffs.
 Recruited, trained and employed over 2,500 community volunteers including church groups, first-time juvenile offenders, parents, K-12 and college students. Volunteers mentor, serve as peer mediators, teach peace, and help with renovations.
EVALUATIONS
 Completed evaluations of Peace Education and Peace Learning Camp that showed over 88% of participants learned at least three new ways to manage conflicts.
 Decreased school suspensions by 68% in 12 schools with specialized peace services.
 83% of teachers report witnessing their students using skills learned at Peace Learning Center.
 71% of teachers report a reduction of fouls in their classroom (bossing, blaming, making excuses, name calling, etc.) six to eight weeks after their students attended Peace Education.
CURRICULUM EXAMPLES
Everyone has conflict in their life. It is up to you to decide whether to take a conflict toward peace or toward violence. Here are peacemaking steps for conflict:
[]
Stay Cool Are you ready and willing to solve this problem peacefully?
Talk about one point of view What happened? Why does it matter? How did it make you feel?
Explore their point of view What happened? Why does it matter? How did it make you feel?
Problem Solve What do you want to solve this problem? What are you willing to do?
FOULS
Fouls are things not to do in a conflict - they take conflict toward violence:
NO Blaming, Bossing, Getting Even, Grabbing, Hitting, Lying, Making Excuses, Name Calling, Not Listening, Teasing, and Whining.
THINK PEACE
1. Try to resolve conflicts by looking for what we have in common.
2. Reach for that something in others that tries to be positive.
3. Listen and try to understand where the other person is coming from before making up my mind.
4. Be truthful. Try to find the truth; no position based on lies can last.
5. Be ready to change my position if I discover it is not fair.
6. Being clear about what I want gives me the power to act in a courageous and positive way.
7. I will not always be able to ward off danger. If I cannot avoid risk, I’ll try to risk being creative rather than violent.
8. Surprise and humor may help change the situation and the attitude and behavior of the people in the conflict.
9. Be patient and persistent in solutions to injustice.
10. Help build community based on honesty, respect and caring.
Started in 1997 in Eagle Creek Park, Peace Learning Center has reached more than 100,000 people. With a mission to promote a culture of peace through education to youth and communities, PLC believes all people have the capacity to resolve conflicts peacefully.
Peace Learning Center grew from a one building program with six staff to a three campus operation (Eagle Creek Park, Fall Creek Park, and Columbus Youth Camp) with thirty-five full-time personnel and a $1.2 million budget providing direct service to youth and adults who serve youth. Ninety-five percent of PLC funding goes directly into programs and services.
PLC has been honored with: the IUPUI - Chancellor’s Community Award for Civic Engagement - 2007,
Indiana Youth Institute - Youth Investment Award - 2006, Indiana Department of Education - Service Learning Star Award - 2006, the World Council of Churches - Blessed are the Peacemakers Award - 2004, Sam H. Jones Best of the Best Diversity Award - 2003, Indianapolis Education Association’s Spirit of Martin Luther King Award - 2003, Indiana Achievement Award for Innovation - 2001.
PLC has been recognized by the Indianapolis Crime Prevention Task Force report as “a local ‘best practice’ that has demonstrated the effectiveness of teaching young adults and at-risk youth creative ways of resolving conflicts, personal responsibility, and character building.” The report recommends an expansion of PLC middle and high school programs, as well as more work in juvenile justice.
PROGRAMS
PEACE EDUCATION
Peace Education provides an interactive day of learning that includes follow-up lessons and an in-class mediation process. Students learn community leadership, conflict resolution, and non-violent self defense. Focusing on personal responsibility and critical thinking, youth participate in role plays and a nature walk.
PEACE LEARNING CAMP
Peace Learning Camp provides a three-day overnight experience at Columbus Youth Camp in Southern, Indiana. Students engage in small group learning about interpersonal communication, diversity appreciation, and environmental stewardship while improving their peacebuilding skills. High ropes challenge education, community responsibility, and traditional camping make an innovative, transforming program.
PEACE LEARNING SERVICES
Hosting workshops on-site and at our campuses, participants learn to address the root causes of conflict through dialogue and active learning. Non-violent alternatives, conflict resolution, cooperation, empathy and self esteem are included in a wide variety of topics offered. Workshops from one-hour to five days engage youth in programming.
YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMSPeace Learning Center facilitators serve youth involved in the criminal justice system. Participants are engaged in conflict resolution, personal responsibility and character building activities using challenge education and experiential learning.
SUMMER PROGRAMPeace Learning Center provides a full-day peace leadership experience that includes conflict resolution, diversity awareness, peer-to-peer dialogue and a nature walk. We invite summer camps, teen groups, and community organizations to engage their youth in learning.
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS
From one-hour skill building workshops to three-day retreats, Peace Learning Center engages teams from schools, businesses, community and faith-based organizations to learn communication and peacebuilding skills. To plan services, Peace Learning Center conducts asset and needs assessments to tailor experiences to meet the group’s needs.
INTERNATIONAL INTERFAITH INITIATIVES
Beyond the focus on Central Indiana, PLC is becoming an international model for youth leadership in peace education. Over the last six years through networking and a strong Internet presence, PLC has participated in and been host to a wide array of international opportunities. A few examples include partnerships with the U.S. State Department, the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem, Ambassadors for Children outreach to Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, as well as partnering with Indianapolis Rotary for programs in Jamaica. PLC also has hosted visits by students from Northern Ireland and the Philippines. In addition, PLC established the Help Increase the Peace program in Nigeria and Ghana as part of a United Nation’s effort to combat violence and increase understanding. These activities complement and enhance PLC’s work with Indiana’s youth.
ANNUAL COMMUNITY EVENTS
Our Beloved Community Festival honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is held at Christian Theological Seminary the Saturday before the MLK Holiday. Each spring, the Celebration of Peace brings together over 1,000 young people involved in positive community change. Beginning in 2007, PLC will host an annual event that will recognize its supporters and celebrate the year’s accomplishments.
COLLABORATIONS
Peace Learning Center is an exceptional example of public and private collaborations. PLC would not exist with out substantive community collaborations:
 City of Indianapolis and the City of Lawrence provide program and administrative space at Eagle Creek Park and Fall Creek Park where youth and families attend workshops and cultural experiences.
 Over 100 schools send their students to our three campuses for learning plus host our facilitators for in-class follow-up and experiences.
 A diverse array of foundations, corporations, and individuals provide over $1,200,000 each year in funding to implement PLC programs.
RESULTS
Since 1997, Peace Learning Center has made great strides establishing itself as a community resource for peace and diversity education in Indianapolis. Through partnerships and collaboration, Peace Learning Center has accomplished many activities:
 Provided intensive peace education to over 45,000 4th and 5th graders in the Indianapolis Public Schools and other students at Eagle Creek and Fall Creek Parks.
 Instituted Peace Learning Camp for 8,000 6th grade participants - a three-day, two-night experience to learn how to peacefully deal with conflict and explore the natural environment.
 Taught conflict resolution skills to over 9,000 young people from domestic violence shelters, summer camps, community centers, and after-school programs.
 Established 35 school-based peer mediation programs, forming mentoring programs, Peace Clubs, and building strong community school partnerships impacting over 19,000 students, parents and school staffs.
 Recruited, trained and employed over 2,500 community volunteers including church groups, first-time juvenile offenders, parents, K-12 and college students. Volunteers mentor, serve as peer mediators, teach peace, and help with renovations.
EVALUATIONS
 Completed evaluations of Peace Education and Peace Learning Camp that showed over 88% of participants learned at least three new ways to manage conflicts.
 Decreased school suspensions by 68% in 12 schools with specialized peace services.
 83% of teachers report witnessing their students using skills learned at Peace Learning Center.
 71% of teachers report a reduction of fouls in their classroom (bossing, blaming, making excuses, name calling, etc.) six to eight weeks after their students attended Peace Education.
CURRICULUM EXAMPLES
Everyone has conflict in their life. It is up to you to decide whether to take a conflict toward peace or toward violence. Here are peacemaking steps for conflict:
[]
Stay Cool Are you ready and willing to solve this problem peacefully?
Talk about one point of view What happened? Why does it matter? How did it make you feel?
Explore their point of view What happened? Why does it matter? How did it make you feel?
Problem Solve What do you want to solve this problem? What are you willing to do?
FOULS
Fouls are things not to do in a conflict - they take conflict toward violence:
NO Blaming, Bossing, Getting Even, Grabbing, Hitting, Lying, Making Excuses, Name Calling, Not Listening, Teasing, and Whining.
THINK PEACE
1. Try to resolve conflicts by looking for what we have in common.
2. Reach for that something in others that tries to be positive.
3. Listen and try to understand where the other person is coming from before making up my mind.
4. Be truthful. Try to find the truth; no position based on lies can last.
5. Be ready to change my position if I discover it is not fair.
6. Being clear about what I want gives me the power to act in a courageous and positive way.
7. I will not always be able to ward off danger. If I cannot avoid risk, I’ll try to risk being creative rather than violent.
8. Surprise and humor may help change the situation and the attitude and behavior of the people in the conflict.
9. Be patient and persistent in solutions to injustice.
10. Help build community based on honesty, respect and caring.
Bircas Hatorah is an orthodox yeshiva for Talmud professionals located in the Jewish Quarter of the old city of Jerusalem. Founded by Rabbi Shimon Green in 1989.
History
The yeshiva was founded in 1989 with two goals: To make high-level talmudic skills more widely accessible, and to allow students of all ages to study in an intensive yeshiva atmosphere.
The yeshiva started in the remnant of the original Eitz Chaim Yeshiva, located in front of the Old City's Hurva Synagogue, with no more than a quorum of men. The yeshiva originally attracted mainly mature professionals who did not have a strong talmudic background, and who wished to benefit from the yeshiva’s methodology.
Since then, the Yeshiva’s student body grew greatly, and many more young and pre-trained Talmudists come to the yeshiva to benefit from its unique methodology.
In 2000 the Yeshiva moved to a new building on Or Hachayim street on the way to the Cardo.
Methodology of Talmudic Analysis
The Yeshiva is well known for its use of logical and rhetorical methodology developed by Rabbi Green that makes precision-Talmudic learning accessible to anyone who follows it diligently.
The methodology of Talmudic analysis used by the yeshiva is based on a combination of the teachings found in the works “The Ways of the Gemara” by medieval Spanish scholar Rabbi Yitzchak Kanfanton, and "The Way of Understanding" and “The Book of Logic” by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto.
Rabbi Green was introduced to the idea of methodology by Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein of Jerusalem, who was in turn introduced to the idea by Rabbi Davis of New York. Rabbi Goldstein felt that there was an urgent need for a systematic approach to the teaching of Talmud, and he urged Rabbi Green to invest great effort into its development.
The Yeshiva Today
Today, well-established in its new building, Bircas HaTorah is a Talmudic center with students of all ages and backgrounds.
The programs are rigorous, with exams mandatory at all levels, and it is certainly not a place for people who do not want to work hard. Nevertheless, students agree that it a very warm place where kindness and mutual help and support abound.
A very interesting thing takes place each Wednesday: Instead of learning with their usual partner, each student spends the day preparing a section of Talmud with a partner from a different group, sometimes someone more advanced than them and sometimes someone less advanced. By 5:30, the beis midrash is at a fever pitch, and Rabbi Green presents a lesson to the entire yeshiva. The total focus and mutual involvement create a super-charged atmosphere where intellectual and spiritual heights meet.
Many of the yeshiva's students have become teachers and rabbis. Some have become part of the Bircas HaTorah staff, while others haver taken positions in other communities.
Although, the yeshiva does not have a school for women, it runs intensive one-week seminars for women every two months.
References / Press
*[http://books.google.com/books?idTgWx1fR_kd8C&pgPA115&dq=Bircas+Hatorah&ei_DqdR6DrDpT8iwGe8JSvCg&ieISO-8859-1&sig=cWD9uz2iJHHhHT5-HWV0vY34tyE#PPA6,M1 Get the Ring: How to Find and Keep the Right One for Life] By Rosie Einhorn, Shimon Green, Dov Heller, Tziporah Heller, Lawrence Kelemen, Mordecai Rottman, Sherry Zimmerman
*JAFAH Torah Study Scholarship at Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah--Jerusalem
*Jewish Universe/Torah/Yeshivas
*A global body of learners with its heart in Jerusalem - From: Jerusalem Post - Date: May 3, 2002 - Author: Simon Rosenzweig
*Head, Heart, Soul and Pocket - From: Jerusalem Post - Date: September 13, 1996 - Author: Yeshara Gold
*WEBSITE BRINGS PRAYERS TO JERUSALEM - Boston Globe - Published on April 15, 2006 - Author(s): Thanassis Cambanis, Globe Staff
*Hillel, Shammai And Burning Candles At Both Ends - The New York Jewish Week - Date: December 7, 2007 - Author: Gewirtz, Shlomo
History
The yeshiva was founded in 1989 with two goals: To make high-level talmudic skills more widely accessible, and to allow students of all ages to study in an intensive yeshiva atmosphere.
The yeshiva started in the remnant of the original Eitz Chaim Yeshiva, located in front of the Old City's Hurva Synagogue, with no more than a quorum of men. The yeshiva originally attracted mainly mature professionals who did not have a strong talmudic background, and who wished to benefit from the yeshiva’s methodology.
Since then, the Yeshiva’s student body grew greatly, and many more young and pre-trained Talmudists come to the yeshiva to benefit from its unique methodology.
In 2000 the Yeshiva moved to a new building on Or Hachayim street on the way to the Cardo.
Methodology of Talmudic Analysis
The Yeshiva is well known for its use of logical and rhetorical methodology developed by Rabbi Green that makes precision-Talmudic learning accessible to anyone who follows it diligently.
The methodology of Talmudic analysis used by the yeshiva is based on a combination of the teachings found in the works “The Ways of the Gemara” by medieval Spanish scholar Rabbi Yitzchak Kanfanton, and "The Way of Understanding" and “The Book of Logic” by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto.
Rabbi Green was introduced to the idea of methodology by Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein of Jerusalem, who was in turn introduced to the idea by Rabbi Davis of New York. Rabbi Goldstein felt that there was an urgent need for a systematic approach to the teaching of Talmud, and he urged Rabbi Green to invest great effort into its development.
The Yeshiva Today
Today, well-established in its new building, Bircas HaTorah is a Talmudic center with students of all ages and backgrounds.
The programs are rigorous, with exams mandatory at all levels, and it is certainly not a place for people who do not want to work hard. Nevertheless, students agree that it a very warm place where kindness and mutual help and support abound.
A very interesting thing takes place each Wednesday: Instead of learning with their usual partner, each student spends the day preparing a section of Talmud with a partner from a different group, sometimes someone more advanced than them and sometimes someone less advanced. By 5:30, the beis midrash is at a fever pitch, and Rabbi Green presents a lesson to the entire yeshiva. The total focus and mutual involvement create a super-charged atmosphere where intellectual and spiritual heights meet.
Many of the yeshiva's students have become teachers and rabbis. Some have become part of the Bircas HaTorah staff, while others haver taken positions in other communities.
Although, the yeshiva does not have a school for women, it runs intensive one-week seminars for women every two months.
References / Press
*[http://books.google.com/books?idTgWx1fR_kd8C&pgPA115&dq=Bircas+Hatorah&ei_DqdR6DrDpT8iwGe8JSvCg&ieISO-8859-1&sig=cWD9uz2iJHHhHT5-HWV0vY34tyE#PPA6,M1 Get the Ring: How to Find and Keep the Right One for Life] By Rosie Einhorn, Shimon Green, Dov Heller, Tziporah Heller, Lawrence Kelemen, Mordecai Rottman, Sherry Zimmerman
*JAFAH Torah Study Scholarship at Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah--Jerusalem
*Jewish Universe/Torah/Yeshivas
*A global body of learners with its heart in Jerusalem - From: Jerusalem Post - Date: May 3, 2002 - Author: Simon Rosenzweig
*Head, Heart, Soul and Pocket - From: Jerusalem Post - Date: September 13, 1996 - Author: Yeshara Gold
*WEBSITE BRINGS PRAYERS TO JERUSALEM - Boston Globe - Published on April 15, 2006 - Author(s): Thanassis Cambanis, Globe Staff
*Hillel, Shammai And Burning Candles At Both Ends - The New York Jewish Week - Date: December 7, 2007 - Author: Gewirtz, Shlomo
Greekpanel is a term used to describe a type of fluorescent light diffuser.
Greekpanels are any acrylic light diffuser with a reference to or image of any greek organization that may replace existing diffusers over fluorescent lighting fixtures. They are also known to reduce harsh glare providing a calming viewing experience versus standard fluorescent diffusers. Most greekpanels also have images of clouds, blue skies or other landscape themes.
Greekpanels that contain images of the sky put the light on a blue scale. Blue has a frequency that replenishes color in the retina of the eye faster than any other color. Studies show that blue causes a person to be more alert and show the color blue creates a positive effect on a person’s mood.
Greekpanels are any acrylic light diffuser with a reference to or image of any greek organization that may replace existing diffusers over fluorescent lighting fixtures. They are also known to reduce harsh glare providing a calming viewing experience versus standard fluorescent diffusers. Most greekpanels also have images of clouds, blue skies or other landscape themes.
Greekpanels that contain images of the sky put the light on a blue scale. Blue has a frequency that replenishes color in the retina of the eye faster than any other color. Studies show that blue causes a person to be more alert and show the color blue creates a positive effect on a person’s mood.
The strategic expression of emotion is a subsection of the emotion category. It relates to how we express our emotions in different situations. This article covers some basic information about what constitutes the strategic expression of emotion as well as examining past and current research that relates to this concept.
Strategic Expression of Emotion
Description
Most emotion research focuses on how we react to stimuli in an attempt to better understand how different emotional responses are generated. One area where research has been thin is in the area of strategic expression of emotion. Strategic expression of emotion can be understood as intentionally choosing the expression of specific emotions in a given situation in order to generate a desired response. The American Heritage Dictionary defines strategy as: a plan of action resulting from strategy or intended to accomplish a specific goal. It identifies plan as a synonym of the term. Thus, strategic expression of emotion implies some sort of premeditated component of the emotional expression.
For example, when a child throws a tantrum in order to try to get his or her way the child is using expression of emotions in order to generate a desired response from his or her parents. The question that comes as a result of that situation being identified is what constitutes strategy being a component of emotional expression and how it can be identified. To best understand this concept it is important to examine emotion research that can be connected to strategic expression as well as identifying suggestions for research methods to dig further into this realm of emotion research.
Because strategic expression of emotion implies selecting emotional responses there is one primary area where this would best be understood in terms of fields of emotion research. That area is regarding interpersonal deception theory (IDT). The reason for this is that in order to utilize emotions strategically in many circumstances some measure of deception is required. Strategic use of emotions involves using expression of emotions to manipulate a situation to produce a desired result. Because we tend to not be very effective at detecting deception the use of deception to manipulate situations via emotion occurs often. (Buller and Burgoon, 1996)
Another area where strategic expression of emotion is important to consider is in regulating emotions. Greenspan (2000) explains that emotions have a connection to rationality and how we make rational decisions. It is important to be able to control the expression of emotions because if one cannot control how an emotion is expressed then it is not possible to utilize it strategically. If in the above example, the child throws a tantrum as a reflexive reaction to receiving a negative response it would not be considered a strategic expression of emotion because of the lack of premeditation in the response. For strategic expression of emotion to occur some measure of premeditation must occur which means that, unless the child made the choice to throw said tantrum with the intent of the tantrum generating the desired response, the act would only be considered an emotional response.
Research
As was discussed above - research focusing on emotion being expressed in a strategic manner tends to not focus on the idea of why we strategically express emotion but on the role it plays in decision making in different situations. One way this is often approached in research is through connection to attachment theory. Cassidy (1994) explains that people tend to regulate their emotions in order to generate desirable results in relationships. Thompson (1994) articulates that regulation of emotion is biological and affects many aspects of our behavior.
Buller & Burgoon (1996) also explain the role of emotion in relation to deception. This is further explained in the article on interpersonal deception theory.
A third major area where emotion research intersects with this concept in regarding consumer products in attempting to understand consumer evaluation of products (Ruth, 2001) or even looking at coping mechanisms regarding negatively valenced advertising. (Luce, 1998).
Finally, an additional theory is tied in with strategic expression of emotion by Lawler & Thye (1999) when they evaluate emotion in context of social exchange theory. Lawler & Thye conclude that further research must be done to fully understand the role of emotion in exchange research.
Conclusion
The strategic expression of emotion is one that is well researched across many parts communication and psychology research in terms of how it functions to create desirable results, but one key area of this research that needs much more depth is looking at what motivates individuals to use emotion to generate these desirable ends and how effective emotional manipulation is in comparison to other forms of compliance and coping techniques.
Strategic Expression of Emotion
Description
Most emotion research focuses on how we react to stimuli in an attempt to better understand how different emotional responses are generated. One area where research has been thin is in the area of strategic expression of emotion. Strategic expression of emotion can be understood as intentionally choosing the expression of specific emotions in a given situation in order to generate a desired response. The American Heritage Dictionary defines strategy as: a plan of action resulting from strategy or intended to accomplish a specific goal. It identifies plan as a synonym of the term. Thus, strategic expression of emotion implies some sort of premeditated component of the emotional expression.
For example, when a child throws a tantrum in order to try to get his or her way the child is using expression of emotions in order to generate a desired response from his or her parents. The question that comes as a result of that situation being identified is what constitutes strategy being a component of emotional expression and how it can be identified. To best understand this concept it is important to examine emotion research that can be connected to strategic expression as well as identifying suggestions for research methods to dig further into this realm of emotion research.
Because strategic expression of emotion implies selecting emotional responses there is one primary area where this would best be understood in terms of fields of emotion research. That area is regarding interpersonal deception theory (IDT). The reason for this is that in order to utilize emotions strategically in many circumstances some measure of deception is required. Strategic use of emotions involves using expression of emotions to manipulate a situation to produce a desired result. Because we tend to not be very effective at detecting deception the use of deception to manipulate situations via emotion occurs often. (Buller and Burgoon, 1996)
Another area where strategic expression of emotion is important to consider is in regulating emotions. Greenspan (2000) explains that emotions have a connection to rationality and how we make rational decisions. It is important to be able to control the expression of emotions because if one cannot control how an emotion is expressed then it is not possible to utilize it strategically. If in the above example, the child throws a tantrum as a reflexive reaction to receiving a negative response it would not be considered a strategic expression of emotion because of the lack of premeditation in the response. For strategic expression of emotion to occur some measure of premeditation must occur which means that, unless the child made the choice to throw said tantrum with the intent of the tantrum generating the desired response, the act would only be considered an emotional response.
Research
As was discussed above - research focusing on emotion being expressed in a strategic manner tends to not focus on the idea of why we strategically express emotion but on the role it plays in decision making in different situations. One way this is often approached in research is through connection to attachment theory. Cassidy (1994) explains that people tend to regulate their emotions in order to generate desirable results in relationships. Thompson (1994) articulates that regulation of emotion is biological and affects many aspects of our behavior.
Buller & Burgoon (1996) also explain the role of emotion in relation to deception. This is further explained in the article on interpersonal deception theory.
A third major area where emotion research intersects with this concept in regarding consumer products in attempting to understand consumer evaluation of products (Ruth, 2001) or even looking at coping mechanisms regarding negatively valenced advertising. (Luce, 1998).
Finally, an additional theory is tied in with strategic expression of emotion by Lawler & Thye (1999) when they evaluate emotion in context of social exchange theory. Lawler & Thye conclude that further research must be done to fully understand the role of emotion in exchange research.
Conclusion
The strategic expression of emotion is one that is well researched across many parts communication and psychology research in terms of how it functions to create desirable results, but one key area of this research that needs much more depth is looking at what motivates individuals to use emotion to generate these desirable ends and how effective emotional manipulation is in comparison to other forms of compliance and coping techniques.