The wheel of emotions by R.

Plutchik

“What really matters for success, happiness and a long life of achievement is emotional
intelligence.”

Daniel Goleman

The term “emotional intelligence,” which Daniel Goleman began to use, refers to the benefits of
knowing and identifying emotions while controlling and managing our expressions of them, the
ability to self-motivate, have empathy, and a certain ability to relate to other people's emotions.
The objective? that of increasing our psycho-physical well-being or being happier.

Emotions are mental states that arise accompanied by physiological changes. There have been
several theories about emotions. One of them is that of Robert Plutchik who recognizes the
greatest number of primary emotions (eight). Secondary emotions would be combinations of the
primary ones.

Robert Plutchik's psycho-evolutionary theory of emotions

Robert Plutchik (1927-2006), physician and psychologist, was professor emeritus at Albert Einstein
College of Medicine and adjunct professor at the University of South Florida. He received his Ph.D.
Columbia University. He is the author or co-author of more than 260 articles, 45 chapters and
eight books and has edited seven books. His research interests include the study of emotions, the
study of suicide and violence, and the study of the psychotherapeutic process.

According to Robert Plutchik (1970-1980), animals, to survive in their environment, have

developed different behaviors, each of them produced by an emotion. These basic emotions are 8
and facilitate the individual's adaptation to changes in their environment.
The 8 basic emotions that Plutchik describes are:

1. Happiness

2. Trust

3. Fear

4. Surprise

5. Sadness

6. Dislike

7. Anger

8. Anticipation

Each of these emotions has a specific purpose: protection (fear), destruction (anger), reproduction
(joy), reintegration (sadness), affiliation (trust), rejection (disgust), exploration (anticipation), and
orientation (surprise).

For example: the purpose of protection, in fear, is to prepare the body for the behavior of
withdrawal and flight. The functions of emotions is to prepare the animal to give an appropriate
behavioral response to the situation.

According to Plutchik, in order to study an emotion we must study it as an OBJECTIVE behavioral

response, and not as subjective affective states.

Emotions are not bad or good, but they are all beneficial, because they allow animals a state of
preparation to react to specific situations. Therefore, emotions have an ADAPTIVE function.

Emotions for Plutchik (relying on Darwin's concepts) have an evolutionary history and serve to
help organisms in their survival problems with the environment.

Despite having different forms of expression in different species, there are certain common
elements, patterns, prototypes that can be identified. There are a small number of basic and
primary emotions.

All other emotions are mixed or derived states, combinations of these 8 primary emotions.

On the “wheel of emotions” , each emotion has its opposite. It is impossible to feel opposite
emotions at the same time.

Emotions vary in their degree of intensity, that is what we see in the “petal” (from softer to more
intense color).

1. JOY
Intensity: Serenity – Joy – Ecstasy

Yellow color

Keyword: Possession

Function: Playback. Hold and repeat

Definition: it is an affective feeling, of short duration, that causes a pleasant sensation. It is

manifested by optimism, triumph and increased energy

Coping: Helps have a stable mood. To recover the lost object.

LOVE (secondary emotion between joy and trust)

2. TRUST

Intensity: Acceptance- Trust- Admiration

Light green color

Keyword: Friend

Function: affiliation – mutual support

Definition: It is learning to live with our mistakes and those of others, with the past, and prevailing
the positive aspects over the painful ones.

Coping: Facilitates participation in groups. Having friends.

SUBMISSION (secondary emotion between trust and fear)

3. FEAR

Intensity: Apprehension- Fear- Terror (panic)

Color: dark green

Keyword: Danger

Function: Protection

Definition: Feeling of uneasiness caused by real or imagined danger.

Coping: Prepares the individual to attack or flee

AWESOME (CONSTERNATION) (Secondary emotion between fear and surprise)

4. SURPRISE
Intensity: Distraction – Surprise – Amazement

Sky blue color

Keyword: What is it?

Function: Guidance

Definition: Emotional alteration caused by something unforeseen or expected. Astonishment,

bewilderment, shock. It is transitory.

Coping: Facilitates attentional processes and exploratory behaviors. Gain time to orient yourself.

DISAPPROVAL (Secondary emotion between surprise and sadness)

5. SADNESS

Intensity: Isolation- Sadness- Regret (Depression)

Color blue

Keyword: Abandonment

Function: Reintegration

Definition: Natural or accidental state of affliction, self-pity, melancholy, discouragement,

hopelessness, loneliness, grief or mourning in the face of a loss.

Coping: Allows you to assimilate harmful events

REMOR (secondary emotion between sadness and disgust)

6. DISGUST

Intensity: Boredom – Disgust – Loathing (Disgust)

Color: Violet

Keyword: Poison

Function: Rejection (expulsion of poison)

Definition: it is the disgust produced by something that incites vomiting. It is unpleasant and
aversive.

Coping: Moves the individual away from a stimulus that may be harmful (protection).

CONTEMPT (secondary emotion between disgust and anger)

7. ANGER
Intensity: Annoyance- anger- Anger

Red color

Keyword: Enemy

Function: Danger destruction

Definition: Feeling of anger, annoyance, annoyance, fury, hostility, hatred.

Coping: Helps to show strengths. It leads us to talk. Attack behavior.

AGGRESSIVENESS (secondary emotion between anger and anticipation)

8. ANTICIPATION (Expectation)

Intensity: Interest – Expectation – Alert

Orange

Keyword: Examination

Function: Exploration

Definition: Search for answers, resources or alternatives to face emotional conflicts or threats,
internal or external.

Coping: Leads to the search for realistic answers, alternative solutions (drawing maps). It allows
you to discover new territories.

OPTIMISM (secondary emotion between anticipation and joy)

PRIMARY DAYS (which give rise to secondary emotions)

Joy – Confidence: Love

Trust-Fear: Submission

Fear- Surprise: Awe (Dismay)

Surprise- Sadness: Disapproval

Sadness- Disgust: Remorse

Disgust- Anger: Contempt

Anger- Anticipation: Aggression

Anticipation- Joy: Optimism

SECONDARY DAYS :

Joy-Fear: Guilt

Trust- Surprise: Curiosity

Fear-Sadness: Despair

Surprise- Rejection: ?

Sadness- Anger: Envy

Rejection- Anticipation: Cynicism

Anger-Joy: Pride

Anticipation-Trust: Fatalism

TERTIARY DAYADS

Joy- Surprise: Delight

Trust-Sadness: Sentimentalism

Fear- Rejection: Shame

Surprise- Anger: Indignation

Sadness- Anticipation: Pessimism

Rejection- Joy: Morbidity

Anger-Trust: Domination

Anticipation- Fear: Anxiety