Richard Lazarus (1922 - 2002) was a psychologist , professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley who was named by American Psychologist as one of the most influential psychologists in the field. He was a pioneer in the study of emotion and stress, especially their relation to cognition. He was well renowned for his theory of cognitive-mediational theory within emotion.

Dr. Lazarus was a promoter of the importance of emotion, especially what he described as the marriage between emotion and thought. His theory on emotions was that before emotion occurs people make an automatic, often unconscious, assessment of what is happening and what it may mean for them . Emotions are a necessary component of survival.

Richard Lazarus books :

 

Selected Bibliography : Wikipedia .

Next researcher on emotions: William James