How many emotions can you name? (DW#453)
In 1972, psychologist Paul Eckman suggested that there are six basic emotions that are universal throughout human cultures: fear, disgust, anger, surprise, happiness, and sadness.
In 1999, he expanded this list to include a number of other basic emotions, including embarrassment, excitement, contempt, shame, pride, satisfaction, and amusement.
But a new study out of UC Berkley professor Dacher Keltner now suggests that there are at least 27 distinct emotions—and they are intimately connected with each other.
The study followed a demographically diverse group of 853 men and women who went online to view a random sampling of silent five- to 10-second videos intended to evoke a broad range of emotions. Keltner and his colleagues at UC Berkeley found that 27 distinct dimensions, not six, were necessary to account for the way these hundreds of people reliably reported feeling in response to these videos.
The researchers also found that emotional experiences are interconnected, richer and more nuanced than previously thought.
Before I share what the 27 emotions are, just take a moment to think about and jot down how many emotions you can name.
Why? Because in order to become emotionally intelligent, we do need to at least be familiar with some of these emotions.
So, go on. Take a moment to list all the emotions you can think of.
. . . .
Done?
How many were you able to get?
· Admiration
· Adoration
· Aesthetic appreciation
· Amusement
· Anxiety
· Awe
· Awkwardness
· Boredom
· Calmness
· Confusion
· Craving
· Disgust
· Empathetic pain
· Entrancement
· Envy
· Excitement
· Fear
· Horror
· Interest
· Joy
· Nostalgia
· Romance
· Sadness
· Satisfaction
· Sexual desire
· Sympathy
· Triumph
Join our blog!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.