Plutchik’s Wheel of Feelings
PRIMARY: The eight segments of the wheel indicate that there are eight key feelings….
OPPOSITES: Each key feeling has a polar opposite, so that…
- Anger is the opposite of Fear.
- Anticipation is the opposite of Surprise.
- Joy is the opposite of Sadness.
- Trust is the opposite of Disgust.
COMBINATIONS: The feelings with no color, represent a feeling that is a mix of the two key adjacent feelings…
- Anger and Anticipation combine to be Aggressiveness.
- Anticipation and Joy combine to be Optimism.
- Joy and Trust combine to be Love.
- Trust and Fear combine to be Submission.
- Fear and Surprise combine to be Awe.
- Surprise and Sadness combine to be Disapproval.
- Sadness and Disgust combine to be Remorse.
- Disgust and Anger combine to be Contempt.
INTENSITY: The segments vertical dimension represents intensity – feelings intensify as they move from the outside to the center of the wheel - which is indicated by its color shading. The darker the shade of a color, the more intense the key feeling is experienced…
- Anger at its least level of intensity is Annoyance. At its highest level of intensity, Anger becomes Rage.
- Anticipation at its least level of intensity is Interest. At its highest level of intensity, Anticipation becomes Vigilance.
- Joy at its least level of intensity is Serenity. At its highest level of intensity, Joy becomes Ecstasy.
- Trust at its least level of intensity is Acceptance. At its highest level of intensity, Trust becomes Admiration.
- Fear at its least level of intensity is Apprehension. At its highest level of intensity, Fear becomes Terror.
- Surprise at its least level of intensity is Distraction. At its highest level of intensity, Surprise becomes Amazement.
- Sadness at its least level of intensity is Pensiveness. At its highest level of intensity, Sadness becomes Grief.
- Disgust at its least level of intensity is Boredom. At its highest level of intensity, Disgust becomes Loathing.
Feelings are often quite complex, and being able to recognize when a feeling is actually a combination of two or more key feelings, is a helpful and supportive ability to have, especially with regards to emotional maturity mastery.