Understanding Emotions

Living Well
While we are all wired differently, our emotions—and the ways in which we feel and respond to the world around us—make us unique. They allow us to realize what's most important to us, from the people we care about to the opinions we hold, and force us to navigate the complexities of everyday life. They may also give us a glimpse into patterns stemming from our childhood experiences.

Learn where emotions originate, how they affect our lives and behaviors, and why they manifest in the ways that they do.

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Frequently Asked Questions

While it was previously identified that there are six basic emotions—happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise—that are universally experienced in all human cultures, researchers have now found that there are 27 different categories of emotions.

Learn More: An Overview of the 6 Types of Basic Emotions

Emotions are influenced by a network of interconnected structures in the brain that make up what is known as the limbic system. Key structures including the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the limbic cortex play a pivotal role in emotions and behavioral responses.

Learn More: Why Emotions Are Important

As human beings, we have the ability to self-regulate, or manage our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions—allowing us to better handle stress, and accomplish our goals. We can continue to develop our self-regulation skills through mindfulness strategies and exercises.

Learn More: How to Develop and Practice Self-Regulation

Key Terms

Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it's an inborn characteristic.

Learn more: What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotion Wheel
The emotion wheel is an emotion classification system introduced by psychologist Robert Plutchik in the 1980s. The model allowed us to label our feelings, so we can develop our emotional literacy skills to have a greater awareness of ourselves and the emotions of others.

Learn more: Self-Awareness Development and Types
Expression
Expression is the act of communicating our thoughts and emotions with others, verbally or non-verbally.

Learn more: Why Expressing Feelings With Your Partner Is Worth the Emotional Risk
Mood
Mood can be defined as a relatively stable affective state that is often described as positive or negative. Unlike emotions, which tend to be stronger and more specific, moods are more general and less intense.

Learn more: What Is Mood?

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