The 6 Types of Basic Emotions and Their Effect on Human Behavior

Emotions

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                An emotion is a feeling.

There are many different types of emotions that have an influence on how we live and interact with others. At times, it may seem like we are ruled by these emotions. The choices we make, the actions we take, and the perceptions we have are all influenced by the emotions we are experiencing at any given moment.

Psychologists have also tried to identify the different types of emotions that people experience. A few different theories have emerged to categorize and explain the emotions that people feel.

Basic Emotions: Six basic emotions that are universally experienced in all human cultures. The emotions are identified as happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, surprise, and anger..

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Let's take a closer look at some of the basic types of emotions and explore the impact they have on human behavior.

Happiness

Of all the different types of emotions, happiness tends to be the one that people strive for the most. Happiness is often defined as a pleasant emotional state that is characterized by feelings of contentment, joy, gratification, satisfaction, and well-being

This type of emotion is sometimes expressed through:

·         Facial expressions such as smiling

·         Body language such as a relaxedposture

·         An upbeat, pleasant tone of voice

While happiness is considered one of the basic human emotions, the things we think will create happiness tend to be heavily influenced by culture. People have long believed that happiness and health were connected, and research has supported the idea that happiness can play a role in both physical and mental health. Happiness has been linked to a variety of outcomes including increased longevity and increased marital satisfaction.

Sadness

Sadness is another type of emotion often defined as a transient emotional state characterized by feelings of disappointment, grief, hopelessness, disinterest, and dull mood. 

Like other emotions, sadness is something that all people experience from time to time. In some cases, people can experience prolonged and severe periods of sadness that can turn into depression.

Sadness can be expressed in a number of ways including:

·         Dampened mood

·         Quietness

·         Lethargy

·         Withdrawal from others

·         Crying

The type and severity of sadness can vary depending upon the root cause, and how people cope with such feelings can also differ.

Sadness can often lead people to engage in coping mechanisms such as avoiding other people, self-medicating, and reflecting on negative thoughts. Such behaviors can actually intensify feelings of sadness and prolong the duration of the emotion.

Fear

Fear is a powerful emotion that can also play an important role in survival. When you face some sort of danger and experience fear, you go through what is known as the fight or flight response. Your muscles become tense, your heart rate and respiration increase, and your mind become more alert, priming your body to either run from the danger or stand and fight. This response helps ensure that you are prepared to effectively deal with threats in your environment.

Expressions of this type of emotion can include:

·         Facial expressions such as widening the eyes and pulling back the chin

·         Attempts to hide or getting the feeling that I am good for nothing.

·         Physiological reactions such as rapid breathing and heartbeat

Of course, not everyone experiences fear in the same way. Some people may be more sensitive to fear and certain situations or objects may be more likely to trigger this emotion.

Disgust

Disgust is another basic emotion that can be displayed in a number of ways including:

·         Running away from the object of disgust

·         Physical reactions such as vomiting or uneasiness

·         Facial expressions such as wrinkling the nose and curling the upper lip

This sense of repulsion can originate from a number of things, including an unpleasant taste, sight, or smell. Researchers believe that this emotion evolved as a reaction to foods that might be harmful or fatal. When people smell or taste foods that have gone bad, for example, disgust is a typical reaction.

Poor hygiene, infection, blood, rot, and death can also trigger a disgust response. This may be the body's way of avoiding things that may carry communicable diseases. People can also experience moral disgust when they observe others engaging in behaviors that they find distasteful, corrupt.

Anger

Anger can be a particularly powerful emotion characterized by feelings of hostility, agitation, frustration, and bitterness towards others. Like fear, anger can play a part in your body's fight or flight response. When a threat generates feelings of anger, you may be inclined to fend off the danger and protect yourself.

Anger is often displayed through:

·         Facial expressions such as frowning or glaring

·         Body language such as taking a strong stance or turning away from someone

·         Tone of voice such as speaking gruffly or yelling

·         Physiological responses such as sweating or turning red

·         Aggressive behaviors such as hitting, kicking, or throwing objects

While anger is often thought of as a negative emotion, it can sometimes be a good thing. It can be constructive in helping clarify your needs in a relationship, and it can also motivate you to take action and find solutions to things that are bothering you.

Anger can become a problem, however, when it is excessive or expressed in ways that are unhealthy, dangerous, or harmful to others. Uncontrolled anger can quickly turn to aggression, abuse, or violence.

This type of emotion can have both mental and physical consequences. Unchecked anger can make it difficult to make rational decisions and can even have an impact on your physical health.

Surprise

Surprise is another one of the six basic types of human emotions. It is usually quite brief and is characterized by a physiological startle response following something unexpected.

This type of emotion can be positive, negative, or neutral. An unpleasant surprise, for example, might involve someone jumping out from behind a tree and scaring you as you walk to your car at night. An example of a pleasant surprise would be arriving home to find that your closest friends have gathered to celebrate your birthday.

Surprise is often characterized by:

·         Facial expressions such as raising the brows, widening the eyes, and opening the mouth

·         Physical responses such as jumping back

·         Verbal reactions such as yelling, screaming, or gasping

Surprise can have important effects on human behavior. For example, research has shown that people tend to disproportionately notice surprising events. This is why surprising and unusual events in the news tend to stand out in memory more than others. Research has also found that people tend to be more influenced by surprising arguments and learn more from surprising information.

Hope that this article will help you to understand different emotions and be more emotionally balanced for a stable life .