Affect consciousness

Affect consciousness refers to the mutual relationship between activation of basic affective experiences and the individual’s capacity to consciously perceive, tolerate, reflect upon and express these experiences (Monsen & Monsen, 1999). AC is traditionally operationalized as degrees of awareness, tolerance, nonverbal- and conceptual expression for each of, in the newest revision of the model, eleven basic affects, and measured by the semi structured Affect Consciousness Interview (ACI).

A vast array of ideas from a number of different approaches can be emphasized as inspirations for the development of the AC- construct, most notably Silvan Tomkins’ Basic Affect Theory, Script Theoretical formulations by the same author (Tomkins, 1966; 1982; 1989, 1992), Discrete Emotions Theory (Izard, 1976; 1993). The writings of Daniel Stern (1986) and the seminal studies by Emde (1983; 1996) on nonverbal affective communication with infants are also central, along with modern self psychological formulations as those advocated by Stolorow, Brandshaft & Atwood (1987), Stolorow & Atwood (1992) and Lichtenberg et al. (1992, 1996).

The Affect Consciousness construct posits that affect, along with pain and the cyclical drives, constitute the primary motivating force in all human affairs. Of these motivating forces the affect system is the primary, and by far the most flexible (Tomkins, 1992), it is hypothesized that affect is ever present in the organism, continually shaping and codetermining both the qualia of consciousness and the behavior initiated or terminated.

It is assumed that affect activation structures not only behavior, but also the coherence of experience, so that affect that is void of meaning to the individual constitute the core of meaningless and disorganized experience. Furthermore central importance is given to the function of affect expression as a primary channel of communication: The transactions of affect-displays among humans are regarded denser in information than any verbal communication. Importantly attunement of affective communication between child and caregiver is seen as paramount to the acquisition of coherent self experience and attainment of adequate affect integration and regulation in the course of development.

The affect system is viewed as an independent, evolutionary early, response apparatus developed specifically for adaptive purposes. This system is hypothesized to interact and transact with the other major adaptive systems of the human organism; drive, motor, perceptual, sensory, memory and cognitive, but is seen as the central core of direction for those other systems (Tomkins, 1992). The adaptiveness of these interactions and their organization is the defining feature of affect consciousness.