Primary Emotions

"My jaw dropped to the floor!" This common expression is universally meant to refer to a feeling of surprise. While we all experience this world in drastically different ways, we can find a common ground in how we express and perceive our core emotions.

• We will define primary emotions.
• We'll discuss the difference between primary and secondary emotions.
• We will look at examples of primary emotions, followed by a chart of primary emotions.
• We'll examine different theories and concepts of primary emotions in psychology.

Primary Emotions Definition

Emotion is one of the most important features of human nature. Our emotions help us survive, motivate our behavior, and provide valuable information while interacting with others. Charles Darwin's The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals laid the framework for the widely shared belief that humans possess universal emotions. In 1960, after a series of experiments studying emotion and facial expressions, Paul Ekman identified six primary or basic emotions.

Primary emotions are universally recognized, which means that all humans are born with the ability to recognize these emotions, with the exception of those suffering from developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. Even babies will cry if someone is yelling and angry or smile when they see someone happy and smiling.

Primary emotions are our automatic reactions in a situation, and are commonly associated with facial expressions and physiological responses that are similar across people and cultures. Facial expressions allow for our primary emotions to be expressed without the need for verbal communication. While primary emotions are fundamentally universal, they may vary in intensity and do not always occur in isolation. We may feel angry and fearful when someone cuts us off in traffic, or sadness and disgust when we see racial injustices on the news.

Primary vs. Secondary Emotions

Primary emotions, especially in Darwin's terms, are hardly the extent of the emotional experience of human beings. Following many primary emotions are secondary emotions, or complex emotions.

In other words, secondary emotions are our feelings about feelings. Secondary emotions, contrary to primary emotions, do not come naturally. They are learned either through familial or social influences. For example, if a person was reprimanded as a child every time they were sad and cried, they may feel shame or fear later in life for feeling sad and wanting to cry.

Cognitive processing is required for secondary emotions, whereas primary emotions require no second thought. Primary emotions come on strong but do not last very long, whereas secondary emotions can be long-lasting and even intensify over time. They may be comprised of several other emotions into one, making them less identifiable. Additionally, secondary emotions, unlike primary emotions, will not look the same across people and cultures. Examples of secondary emotions include guilt, frustration, remorse, resentment, and confusion.

Primary Emotions Examples

Robert Plutichk, a psychologist, proposed eight primary emotions: anger, fear, sadness, surprise, disgust, joy, anticipation and trust.

Let's take a look at some examples of these six primary emotions.

Anger

Anger is an emotional state in which a person feels mistreated or hindered from pursuing a goal. Anger can be one of the most dangerous emotions at its most extreme, and has the potential to invoke violent behavior. Injustice, betrayal, rejection, being hurt or seeing someone hurt, or even another person's anger can cause us to become angry. Someone who feels angry may yell, sweat, clench their jaw or fists, or puff out their chest to appear larger.

Fear

One of our most primal emotions is fear. While fear often has negative connotations, it is key to our survival as a species; it is what triggers our fight or flight response. We experience fear in response to an emotional, physical, or psychological threat. These threats may be real or they may be imagined. Without fear, we may not recognize when we need to cope with potential threats. A greater ability to cope reduces the intensity of fear. Consistent fear may eventually become chronic anxiety, leading to other possible disorders.

Fg. 1 One of our most primal emotions is fear

Disgust

Disgust often arises from repulsive or aversive feelings towards something. The intensity of this feeling may vary from mild dislike to an extreme reaction. Things that are offensive, poisonous, or contaminating are most likely to cause feelings of disgust. From an evolutionary perspective, disgust is meant to keep us from harmful substances or situations. Some triggers for disgust are generally true for most people, such as smelling body odor. However, others may be more individually or culturally influenced. Some feelings of disgust are not immediately present at birth. Before the ages of four to eight years, children often experience distaste rather than disgust.

Fg. 2 What makes you feel disgusted.

Sadness

Sadness is an emotion that is characterized by hopelessness, disappointment, or grief that may be triggered by the loss of a valued person or object. While sadness is a universal emotion everyone experiences, its causes are often personal and cultural. In other words, what makes one person sad may not affect another the same way.

Sadness plays an important role in highlighting moments in which we need comfort or support. Sadness is a longer-lasting emotion. However, if it becomes chronic and begins to interfere with daily living, it is more accurately characterized as depression.

Fg. 3 Sadness signals needing comfort.

Happiness

Happiness, a pleasant emotional state characterized by feelings of enjoyment, satisfaction, and contentment, is the most desirable of the six primary emotions. Happiness can be either universal or personal and is experienced through our senses. When people experience happiness, they often describe the feeling as light, energetic, or warm. It may signal friendliness to others, as well as communicate that we are not a threat.

Surprise

Surprise is an emotional state that follows an encounter with sudden or unexpected stimuli. It is brief, unexpected, and can be either positive or negative. This emotion is meant to help us identify what's happening, and whether or not we are in danger. While other emotions may also be brief, surprise is always brief. Within seconds, we get a sense of what's happening and either experience another emotion, or none at all. Surprise should not be confused with being startled, which is more of a physical reflex than an emotion. For example, if we are startled, we may jump or gasp.

Primary Emotions Chart

We describe our emotions using several different words or descriptions. However, these words can generally boil down to one or more of the six primary emotions. Below is a chart listing some examples.

Primary Emotions in Psychology

A handful of psychologists challenge the very existence of primary emotions. They argue that primary emotions are not emotions, but rather building blocks to more complex psychological traits. Additionally, while the six primary emotions identified are accepted by many psychologists, others have identified additional primary emotions. For example, Carroll Izard (1977) identified ten primary emotions he found to be most present during infancy. These were primarily based on facial expressions.

They include:

• Anger

• Fear

• Joy

• Disgust

• Interest-Excitement

• Content

• Shame

• Surprise

• Guilt

• Joy

Observing facial expressions can give therapists insight into their client's emotional experiences. Also, as we've mentioned, primary emotions are often accompanied by distinctive physiological responses. A therapist can use this knowledge to help clients with low emotional awareness identify their feelings. A tight chest may mean fear or anxiety. A fluttery stomach may mean joy or excitement.

Processing and identifying primary and secondary emotions can be an important tool used to help cope with one's emotions. By understanding our primary emotions, we may gain insight into what we should move towards, and what we should move away from. Primary emotions are reactions either to a threat or an opportunity. To process primary emotions, it may be helpful to first identify what triggered that emotion. Then, by being present and mindful of the current moment, we may discover why that primary emotion was triggered.