By helping us put complex emotions into words, it makes the experience more concrete. Apart from explaining how we feel, it can also make us realize that our emotions are valid. The wheel of emotions also shows that each of us is capable of having emotional depth. It is an effective way to bring clarity to one’s emotional state, especially during confusing or turbulent times. Plutchik’s diagram can be used as a sort of emotion wheel chart to pinpoint what a person is feeling, where the emotion is coming from, and why they feel that way.

Anger and anticipation → aggressiveness.

There are various combinations that can be made using the color wheel of emotions. Trust is the opposite of disgust, leading to embracing others or rejecting them. Surprise is the opposite of anticipation, and the physiological reaction is either to take a step back or examine closely. Sadness is the opposite of joy, allowing us to either withdraw or connect.Īnger is the opposite of fear, which results in trying to appear bigger and be louder or making oneself smaller to hide. These are based on the physiological reaction the specific emotion elicits in humans. Plutchik organized the primary emotions into pairs that reflected polar opposites. It allows us to be more open with others and build meaningful connections. Trust - Trust is an emotion that comes with sensations of warmth and feelings of safety. This is usually accompanied by an elevated heart rate and high energy. This can be something positive or negative. Surprise - Surprise is often felt when something new has happened. It is a sign that life is going well, and it allows people to act with creativity, connection, and energy. Joy - Joy is experienced in moments where there is plenty of positive energy. It is often felt when circumstances are changing, especially when one looks forward to what may be coming. Sadness can encourage people to focus on what’s important to them.Īnticipation - Anticipation is an emotion that comes with sensations of alertness and expectation.

It often indicates that something we care about is leaving our lives, either temporarily or permanently. Sadness - Sadness usually makes people feel heavy. Feeling the emotion of fear can help drive one to action, whether it’s avoiding the source of the fear or confronting it. It helps people notice that something is wrong or unsafe.įear - Fear causes agitation and tells us that something we care about is at risk (including ourselves). It is an indicator that there is an obstacle or barrier in the way that must be overcome.ĭisgust - Disgust is a sign that rules have been violated in some sense, resulting in bitter and unwanted sensations. Each of these emotions is represented by a primary color.Īnger - Anger is typically accompanied by strong and heated sensations, often with a feeling of antagonism towards something or someone. Plutchik stated that there are 8 primary emotions that vary in their intensity. Gradients are also used to show intensity. These models use color to represent more nuanced emotions as well as combinations of emotions.

It comes in two designs: two dimensional and three dimensional, the latter being called the cone-shaped model of emotion. The Wheel of EmotionsĪs he advanced his theory, Plutchik developed the wheel of emotions. He based it on the psycho-evolutionary theory of emotion, arguing that primary emotions are an evolutionary development that helps humans respond accordingly and survive.

This method of organizing emotions was developed by psychologist Robert Plutchik. This helps the user of the wheel navigate their emotional experience at any given time based on their circumstances. The wheel of emotions - also known as the emotion wheel or specifically, Plutchik’s wheel of emotions - is a circular diagram that is divided into different areas and subsections to identify various emotions. One such method is by using what is called a wheel of emotions, which we’ll go into detail here. Fortunately, there are some ways for us to organize these emotions to better understand them. With our capacity to feel so much, it can be challenging not to get lost or feel overwhelmed. There are even instances wherein we feel several emotions all at once, making it even more complicated to clearly identify each one. Sometimes the things we feel are so complex and overwhelming that it is almost impossible to describe them. Putting a name to our emotions can be difficult. There are several models that are useful in identifying emotions.Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions is a model that allows individuals to identify primary emotions with varying intensities and combinations.Identifying emotions can be difficult for many people, especially if they are made up of several complex feelings.

Plutchikâ™s wheel of emotions