An Emotion Wheel: What Is It?

Have you ever had problems describing your feelings precisely? You could find it simple to say when you’re joyful, sad, or furious. But since we are complex creatures, we feel a variety of emotions. It might be challenging to remain completely objective about all of your feelings.

Understanding your feelings, as well as those of others, is one of the characteristics of emotional intelligence. A more profound comprehension of emotions can enhance relationships, communication skills, and coping mechanisms.

Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash

The Wheel of Emotions by Plutchik

In 1980, American psychologist Robert Plutchik developed Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions, one of the most well-known emotion wheels.

As a part of his psycho-evolutionary theory of fundamental emotions, the Wheel was created to assist in depicting various emotions. According to his theory, our primary emotions set off our survival instincts and serve an evolutionary function. Additionally, he thought that because all animals and humans have comparable midbrain (limbic system) activities, the notion of emotions applies to both.

8 Basic Emotions

Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions is shaped like an octagonal flower with eight petals. It comprises eight fundamental emotions that are arranged in pairs of opposites and placed across from one another:

• Sadness vs. joy.
• Anger vs. fear.
• Expectation vs. surprise.
• Acceptance vs. disgust.

The second circle contains the primary emotions, and each layer’s color intensity corresponds to the strength of the associated feeling. While the emotions at the center of the Wheel are darker and more robust, those in the outside layer are softer and gentler.

Each core emotion can be expressed at different intensities:

• Joy ranges from serenity to ecstasy.
• Trust goes from acceptance to admiration.
• Fear ranges from timidity to terror.
• Surprise ranges from uncertainty to amazement.
• Sadness ranges from gloominess to grief.
• Disgust ranges from dislike to loathing.
• Anger ranges from annoyance to fury.
• Anticipation ranges from interest to vigilance.

Combining Emotions

New emotions can be produced by combining various fundamental feelings. Several instances include:

• Joy + Trust = Love
• Trust + Fear = Submission
• Fear + Surprise = Awe
• Surprise + Sadness = Disapproval
• Sadness + Disgust = Remorse
• Disgust + Anger = Contempt
• Anticipation + Anger = Aggressiveness
• Serenity + Interest = Optimism

Additional Emotion Wheels

Geneva’s Wheel

Geneva’s Wheel is shaped more like a rectangle with four major quadrants than a wheel.

It classifies emotions into four groups:

1. Unpleasant, High Control.
2. Unpleasant, Low Control.
3. Pleasant, High Control.
4. Pleasant, Low Control.

It depends on whether the feeling is pleasant or unpleasant, how much control you believe you have over it, what events led to it, and how much power you feel over it.

For instance, surprise sensation is classified as poor control since it is between pleasant and unpleasant. Surprises aren’t always lovely, and it can be hard to keep that feeling under control. Anger and melancholy are both unpleasant emotions with different degrees of emotional control.

Junto’s Wheel

The Junto Institute developed Junto’s Wheel as a for-profit tool to assist companies in raising the emotional intelligence of their workforce.

It features a straightforward design that is simple to use and comprehend, consisting of three inner rings. The core of basic emotions is here:

• Love.
• Fear.
• Anger.
• Sadness.
• Surprise.
• Joy.

The emotions become more complex and specialized as you approach the Wheel’s outer edge. This might be useful when attempting to comprehend the deeper levels of your original sensations.

You may be furious, for example. However, after some introspection, you find you’re also experiencing resentment, frustration, and jealousy.

Advice on Using an Emotion Wheel

You may learn how to comprehend your feelings by using an emotion wheel. To get you started, consider these suggestions:

• Give the emotion you are experiencing a name. Your day at work wasn’t so good. You experience unease and a lack of confidence. Look at the Wheel and go through the list of emotions to find one or more that describes that feeling. Giving words to those feelings can help you feel more in control of them.
• Consider the cause of your feelings. The next step is to look closely to identify possible reasons for these sentiments. People frequently become emotionally charged due to a succession of encounters rather than a single incident. Reflect on your day, the previous week, the previous month, or even the previous year. For instance, you could be depressed even when nothing depressing occurred that day. However, you last saw your buddies a few weeks ago. You can be yearning for social connection and feeling alone and lonely.
• Make a move. After determining the causes of your feelings, you may take steps to control how you respond to them and deal with the triggers. This might entail altering your schedule, engaging in positive activities, talking to a friend about what has been happening, or journaling about it. You may sometimes move on from your emotions by accepting them for what they are and having clarity about them.

This article was co-written with a therapist from Sensera — a self-help app that provides daily CBT audio sessions and exercises. The app helps people deal with a variety of mental issues (anxiety, low self-esteem, and relationship problems). Download now to become happier!