The 8 basic emotions, according to Plutchik’s wheel

The Plutchik wheel is a resource that Robert Plutchik devised to graph different emotions in a didactic way. and their possible combinations. This North American researcher and psychologist thought that there were some basic emotions and that these evolved throughout life, transforming over time.

Emotions evolve and present changes thanks to adaptation. That is to say, Human beings need to adjust their subjective world to reality external and that interaction leads to transformations in the way of feeling. Plutchik’s wheel would show, in some way, the path that emotions follow.

We are talking about a graph with shape of a flower of eight petals in different colors. Each one of them shows the evolutionary course followed by each of the basic emotions, represented in those eight petals. Let’s see what this is about.

Plutchik’s wheel represents the evolutionary course of basic emotions.

The axles of the Plutchik wheel

Plutchik’s wheel is based on three basic axes or criteria. These are typology, antagonism and intensity. Regarding the typology, Plutchik points out that there are two kinds of emotions : the basic and the compound ones. The first are those that are in a natural state, the second would result from the combination of these.

As for antagonism, it refers to the opposition that exists between some emotions and others.. In Plutchik’s wheel, such emotions appear at opposite ends, so that said opposition becomes evident. There are four axes of opposition: joy/sadness, anticipation/surprise, disgust/trust, and fear/anger.

Finally, the intensity refers to the strength of emotions. This is graphed on the Plutchik wheel as color intensity. The stronger an emotion is, the more similar it is to the base emotion and the closer it is to the center on the graph.

Plutchik’s Wheel Postulates

The foundation of his theory of emotions is derived from the postulates observed in this research. Within all of them, we have the following:

The limbic system of a human being is similar to that of other mammals. Animals and humans experience the same basic emotions. Emotions arose as part of the evolutionary process, long before apes or humans existed. The most influential role of emotions is to help us survive. These are the common patterns and elements identifiable elements that make up each emotion. The most basic emotions are the primary ones: trust, fear, surprise, sadness, disgust, anger, anticipation and joy. The sum of these various primary emotions will produce new ones such as love = joy + trust; guilt = joy + fear, and delight = joy + surprise. Emotions are constructions, or ideas, that help describe a certain experience. Like many things in nature, there is a duality with emotions, so each one has its own opposite pole. The degree of similarity determines which emotions are more related and which are the opposite. The change in intensity produces the diverse amount of emotions that we can feel, such as the following:
– Trust goes from acceptance to admiration.
– Fear goes from shyness to terror.
– Surprise goes from uncertainty to astonishment.
– Sadness goes from pessimism to pain.
– Disgust ranges from dislike to abhorrence.
– Anger ranges from annoyance to fury.
– Anticipation goes from interest to vigilance.
– Joy goes from serenity to ecstasy.

The basic emotions

According to Plutchik’s thesis, which is collected in various articles and research, basic emotions are the following: joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness, aversion, anger and anticipation. Each of them is in the essence of the human being and corresponds to emotion in its pure state. Let’s see what Plutchik says about each of those emotions.

1. Joy

It is defined as a state of satisfaction and well-being, both with oneself and with the circumstances in which one lives. It can be subtle, like serenity, or intense, like ecstasy. Sadness is its opposite. Joy is felt when you achieve a goal or enjoy a good time.

Joy can interact with other emotions producing new sensations. For example, can be combined with confidence and anticipation to give rise to love and optimism, respectively. It can also be coupled with fear and anger, generating guilt and pride.

2. Trust

It is a subjective position in which there is the conviction that there will be no harm or damage in a given situation or after one’s own action. It is linked to security, tranquility and hope.

For Plutchik, this emotion can slow down and become acceptance, or it can grow and turn into admiration. In general, Trust tends to merge with fear, giving way to submission. When this happens, the person loses their freedom in favor of the desires and will of someone else.

3. Fear

Plutchik defines fear as an unpleasant uncertainty, born from expectations associated with harm or evil to come. It is related to danger and threat. Its main function is, as stated in an article by current biologyprovoke adaptive responses.

This emotion is associated with others to create more complex emotions. For example, the integration of fear and sadness produces despair. According to the Plutchik wheel, Anger is the opposite of fear.

4. Surprise

It is the reaction to the unforeseeable in the environment. It is classified as a neutral emotion and can alternate between distraction and amazement. Its opposite emotion is anticipation.

When connected with sadness, it gives rise to disappointment; When she does it with joy, it causes delight. On the other hand, when it is related to emotions such as anger, it generates indignation.

5. Sadness

It is a state of anxiety in which the depressed mood prevails and It usually leads to the need for social support. It is related to the loss, separation or lack of something. Although it is negative, an article in The primary care companion for CNS disorders states that its appearance usually provokes empathy and facilitates group ties.

Sadness often leads to reflection and introspection, which allows people to understand their values, feelings and needs. When combined with anger, it causes envy. On the other hand, its association with surprise provokes disapproval.

6. Aversion

It is an emotion in which the will to reject or avoid something or someone is expressed. It can manifest as boredom or loathing.and its opposite pole is trust.

The most common combination of aversion is with anger, which leads to contempt. There are less frequent mixtures, such as aversion with surprise and anticipation, which result in experiences of disgust and cynicism, respectively.

7. Anger

According to Plutchik, anger is the response to an offense, especially when it is perceived to have been done deliberately. As an article from Frontiers in indicates psychology“Anger entails negative activation that leads the individual to resolve tension through active behaviors.”

Anger is expressed in different ways, such as mild irritation or intense fury.. It is a necessary emotion for adaptation and survival. Through it, people can act in dangerous situations.

8. Anticipation

It is the objective expectation, based on experience and prior information about facts or situations. It is essential for survival, since It allows people to prepare for future events and avoid threats.

The relationship between anticipation and sadness is the most common. This combination leads to pessimism, which is not a good ally for health, as indicated in a study published by Scientific reports, where it is associated with greater cardiovascular mortality.

According to Plutchik’s theory, there are eight basic emotions that allow us to survive and adapt to the environment.

The combination of basic emotions

Plutchik’s wheel shows that The basic emotions combine with each other and give rise to three dyads or groups of combined emotions. In turn, these combinations generate new emotions. Let’s see below how they are presented.

Primary dyad

Joy + trust = loveJoy + anticipation = optimismTrust + fear = submissionFear + surprise = alarmSurprise + sadness = disappointmentSadness + disgust = remorseDisgust + anger = contemptAnger + anticipation = aggression

secondary dyad

Joy + fear = guiltJoy + anger = prideTrust + surprise = curiosityTrust + anticipation = fatalismFear + sadness = despairSurprise + disgust = disbeliefSadness + anger = envyDisgust + anticipation = cynicismAnger + sadness = envy

Tertiary dyad

Joy + surprise = delightJoy + disgust = morbidityTrust + sadness = sentimentalityTrust + anger = dominationFear + disgust = shameFear + anticipation = anxietySurprise + anger = indignationSadness + anticipation = pessimism

What is the wheel of emotions for?

This wheel is used to know yourself. It allows us to understand what is happening inside us and simplify what is happening to us, increasing self-expression and self-compassion. Therefore, use this classification of emotions helps us in following:

Avoid negative thoughts: We can avoid negative thoughts by knowing how we react to different actions and what emotions are related to it.Connect with others: The wheel of emotions facilitates communication with others. This is because we are able to identify an emotion through words and we can express, in this way, what we feel.mature emotionally: allows us to better manage emotions and, therefore, have more emotional intelligence. Through the wheel of emotions we can learn to name, control and express emotions.See emotions from another perspective: We can distance ourselves from our emotions and see the global panorama in which they are being activated.

A tool to get to know us

Finally, the value of Plutchik’s wheel is in the precise and didactic organization that it proposes as a common emotional dictionary. We are talking about a tool that can help us better understand our emotions and those of others.

Therefore, we invite you to continue exploring this theory and analyze the various combinations that we have presented to you. Are emotional mixes familiar to you? Have you ever noticed that the integration of two emotions produces another more complex one? Think about your life and those emotions that emerge in your daily life.

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