The Emotional Landscape of Learning: What Can Professions Education Research Learn From Affect Theory?

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Six
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring Emotion, Well-Being, and Burnout in Learners (Table 6)

Abstract

The socioemotional aspects of professions education, from burnout to professional socialization, are central to ongoing areas of research across education in the professions. However, few researchers integrate methods and perspectives from affect theory, an interdisciplinary field which focuses on nonlinguistic and noncognitive elements of experience and interaction in the learning environment and broader society. Distinct from a psychological approach to emotion, affect theory can expand current research on socioemotional forces in professions education. Building on Ahmed’s affective economy to analyze ongoing debates around professionalism standards in education, this paper argues for the use of affect theory in professions education research. This framework is especially useful for considering the relationship between emotions, power, discrimination, and social norms in the professions.

Author

• Penelope Lusk, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author