Overview of Contemporary Emotion Frameworks: A Comparative Summary

This paper provides a concise comparative overview of several influential contemporary emotion frameworks, including Basic Emotions Theory, Appraisal Theory, Constructed Emotion Theory, Polyvagal Theory, and the Core Emotion Framework (CEF). The aim is not to advocate for any single model but to clarify how these approaches conceptualize emotional processes, where they converge, and where they diverge. Emotion research spans psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, and anthropology, and each framework offers distinct assumptions about the origins, mechanisms, and functions of emotion. By summarizing their core commitments, strengths, and limitations, this article situates these models within the broader landscape of affective science and supports interdisciplinary dialogue about how emotions are generated, interpreted, and regulated.