Educational Media Reviews Online

Part of Davidson Films Neuroscience Series, The Emotional Brain is a dynamic overview of affective neuroscience. Writer and narrator Brian Knutson of Stanford University, deftly explains a brief history of the field and its connections to neuroscience, biology, evolution, psychology and everyday life. Using the question and answer approach, the DVD is divided into the following chapters: What are Emotions?; Why are Emotions; Where are Emotions; and When are Emotion? Framing these sections are Introduction and Implication chapters. There is also a link to printable learning guides from the Davidson Films web site. http://davisonfilms.com/downloads.htm

Let’s face it—affective neuroscience is usually considered a “heavy” topic. The Emotional Brain brings together animated sequences, photos, and anatomical animations to get the sometimes confusing concepts across in a lighthearted way. Knutson’s pleasant narration and his skill at linking difficult concepts to theories and ideas that most students will have had some exposure to is a brilliant touch. Even at times when the various components get a little tangled, it all falls in place and makes sense by the following chapter. The film introduces neuroanatomy, the roots of affective neuroscience theories from scientists such as Wundt , Darwin, and Hess, and more modern theories from Ekman and Panksepp. A fair amount of time is devoted to the “when” chapter and the concept of anticipatory affect, explaining positive and negative responses and linking them together with everyday behavior and particularly studies on consumer behavior.

The Emotional Brain is appropriate for senior high honors students through introductory college level courses and most libraries supporting those audiences will want to have this in their collections.

Other Neuroscience Series EMRO film reviews:

• Discovering the Human Brain: New Pathways to Neuroscience
• Human Brain Development: Nature and Nurture with Helen Neville, Ph.D.
• Making Sense of Sensory Information