Understanding Basic Human Emotions: Surprise, Disgust, Fear, Joy, Sadness
Surprise: The Briefest Emotion
Surprise is often considered the most unique basic emotion. According to Darwin, surprise is caused by the unexpected or unknown. It can be defined as a reaction caused by something unexpected, novel, or strange, and also as a reaction to a discrepant event or a deviation from a subject’s plan. It is the shortest of all emotions and is a neutral emotional response. It suddenly occurs in response to a new situation and disappears just as quickly as it appeared. Its duration is determined by the time it takes for another emotion to emerge. Surprise can be seen as a response to discovery. Its function is to effectively address unexpected changes and their consequences. Surprise can help us understand individual differences in response to identical situations. The facial expression of surprise includes wide-open eyes and mouth, lifted lower and outer parts of the eyebrows, raised upper eyelids, and a dropped lower jaw. The emotions of surprise and fear are often confused; they can be differentiated by the upper eyelid lift, which is weaker in surprise. The vocal expression is often “Oh.” Consequences of surprise include the emergence of either a positive emotion (like joy) or a negative emotion (like anger).
Disgust: Aversion and Protection
Disgust, or revulsion, is considered an innate basic emotion. It refers to something primarily opposed to the sense of taste, or something perceived or imagined, and secondarily to smell or touch. It is a revulsion against the possibility of ingesting a substance that is offensive, highly unpleasant, or disgusting. Its functions are to prepare the body to effectively reject environmental conditions that may be harmful, and to promote healthy and hygienic habits. Body expression often involves backing away, and the vocal expression is typically “yuck!” Facial expression includes lowered and joined eyebrows, lifted cheeks, a wrinkled nose, a lifted chin, a marked reduction in eye opening, and the lifting and lowering of the upper lip.
Fear: Our Primal Survival Instinct
Fear is an emotion with obvious survival value. It is a negative emotional state that encourages avoidance and escape from situations threatening an organism’s survival or well-being. It warns of approaching physical or psychological harm. Its functions are to enable the subject to distance themselves from hazardous elements and prevent interaction. Body language first involves a thrill or shock, followed by a potential stalemate, mute or loud shouting, and then fleeing. Facial expression includes raising the inner eyebrows and the contraction and separation of the lips.
Joy: The Positive Feeling of Fulfillment
Joy is a positive feeling that arises when a person experiences a reduction in distress or achieves a goal or objective. Joy is an emotion that can be quickly felt. Subjective effects include optimism, enhanced self-esteem, and increased self-confidence. The primary facial expression is a smile. Vocal expression often involves a higher and sharper tone. The effects of joy include facilitating the recall of positive information, providing quicker answers to problems, and promoting more sociable and altruistic behavior.
Sadness: Responding to Loss and Low Mood
Sadness is a negative sentiment characterized by a low mood and accompanied by a reduction in cognitive and behavioral activity. Sadness can be triggered by the loss of a valued goal, a person, or by disappointment. Facial expression includes downturned mouth corners, and vocal expression often involves a soft, lower tone. Body expression often involves a slumped posture.