Development of the human emotional system

I am relatively new to the study of affect theory and have been reading with interest the two wonderful books, Shame and Pride, and Knowing Feeling. My understanding (or misunderstanding) is that the emotional system begins in infancy (or prenatally) with affect (biology) followed by the development of feelings (conscious awareness), emotions (biography) and mood (lingering emotions). There is a gradual broadening of a person's attentional focus as highlighted by affect, that goes from a bodily/physiological focus to a more external focus (environment, social, cultural). This shift increases contextual meanings attached to affective arousals. The first major step in this developmental process seems to be autosimulation by infants. Please correct any misconceptions I may have as I find myself often confused by the complexity of affect theory.

Is it consistent with affect theory to suggest that Autism may relate to deficiencies/glitches in this ability for autosimulation? Is it possible that autosimulation results in and, also has an evolutionary and adaptive goal of increasing our attention to the outer world, by increasing the linkages and chains of outer world experience to inner experience. Is it possible for hardware and/or firmware of the human emotional system to be altered by the accumulation of experiences in the social/cultural world, in ways similar but not as magnified as drugs may change them?

My understanding of affect theory is that as we develop/grow/mature we learn to modulate our affective expressions and we learn to protect ourselves by the "empathic wall". Is it possible that the affect system can in an adaptive way, integrate these external modulations and apply them internally, so our internal affective experiences can be handled more efficiently and less disruptively to other physiological systems? Any guidance or help about these ideas would be greatly appreciated.

• Affect and Autism by Don Nathanson, 2/26/97
  • Thank you for reply by K. Dring, 2/27/97
    • Affect Pattern Chart by Don Nathanson, 3/1/97
      • Affect pattern chart with children by K. Dring, 3/4/97