Joy

Joy is the uplifting emotion that arises from achieving something meaningful or encountering a positive experience. It combines the celebratory recognition of success (exaltation) with the thrill of active engagement (exhilaration). Joy is more than a reaction—it is shaped by personal and cultural understandings of what is worth celebrating, from personal milestones to shared moments of happiness.

Marvel

Marvel is the sense of mystery and riddles sparked by something novel or extraordinary. It merges the energetic thrill of discovery (exhilaration) with the need to gain more insight into and understand (intrigue). Marvel transcends immediate reactions, drawing on personal and cultural contexts to deepen our appreciation for the beauty, complexity, or mystery of the world.

Desire

Desire is the compelling longing to obtain or achieve something valuable. It blends the curiosity and focus of intrigue with the emotional pull of attraction, creating a motivating force that drives pursuit. Desire goes beyond fleeting wants, as it is shaped by personal values, societal norms, and the significance of what is sought.

Love

Love is the sense of bond that connects us to others. It combines the initial pull of attraction, which fosters connection, with the warmth of affection, which nurtures care and attachment. Love isn’t just about how someone makes you feel; it’s a web of context—memories, trust, and shared experiences—that shapes what love means in each relationship. From romantic gestures to a parent’s protective embrace, love transcends its passions by embodying commitment, care, and a sense of belonging.

Guilt

Affection arises from appraisals of allure, favor, and esteem, prompting organisms to accept and defer within relationships. When allure is strongest, affection focuses on the charm and beauty of the other. If favor leads, it highlights mutual goodwill and reciprocal relationship. When esteem takes precedence, it reflects the respect and value given to the subject. This emotion strengthens cooperative bonds essential for group survival, differing from attraction, which is more initial and momentary bonding rather than long-term relational bonds.

Shame

Shame is the unpleasant emotion felt when one perceives they have failed to meet social or personal expectations. It combines the urge to submit or defer (appeasement) with an inward withdrawal of dejection. Shame transcends its passions by drawing on cultural norms and personal identity, prompting reflection, adjustment, or efforts to regain dignity.

Sadness

Sadness is the reflective emotion that arises from perceived struggle, misfortune, disappointment, or unmet expectations. It blends the withdrawal of dejection, which signals personal failings, with the emotional weight of distress, which highlights ongoing hardship. Sadness is shaped by the context of what is one troubled by, fostering introspection and often seeking support or meaning.

Fear

Fear is the protective emotion that responds to perceived loss, danger or, threat. It combines the anticipatory worry of distress, focused on potential harm, with the immediate, reactive alertness of fright, prompting rapid action. Fear transcends its passions by incorporating context, assessing risks, and guiding survival-oriented behavior.

Disgust

Disgust is the rejection of something perceived as immoral, hazardous, or contaminating. It merges the alertness of fright, which signals potential harm, with the rejecting force of repulsion. Disgust extends beyond physical aversion to encompass moral and cultural judgments about what is unacceptable.

Hate

Hate is the intense displeasure of something deemed profoundly bad, incorrect, different, or improper. It combines the aversion of repulsion with the active opposition of annoyance, driving confrontation or sustained resistance. Hate transcends its passions by being tied to group or personal identity and the perception of threats to self or others.

Anger

Anger is the forceful emotion that arises in response to perceived injustices or obstacles. It combines the irritation of annoyance, which reacts to immediate disruptions, with the determination of frustration, which drives action to overcome deeper barriers. Anger is more than a reflex; it reflects a sense of fairness and the desire to assert control or address wrongs.

Pride

Pride is the fulfilling emotion tied to recognizing one’s worth, achievements, or identity. It merges the tension of frustration, which arises from striving for recognition, with the celebratory acknowledgment of exaltation, which highlights accomplishment. Pride transcends its passions by connecting success to identity, social acknowledgment, and the broader meaning of one’s contributions.