Basic emotions
The basic emotion theory claims that there is a core set of emotions, referred to as basic emotions, which evolved to aid in fundamental life tasks. According to this theory, the basic emotions are more likely to be found across cultures and in various species relative to other types of emotions. Paul Ekman suggests nine characteristics that distinguish basic emotions from other affective phenomena: distinctive universal signals; distinctive physiology; distinctive universals in antecedent events; distinctive developmental appearance; distinctive thoughts, memories, and images; distinctive subjective experience; automatic appraisal; presence in other primates; quick onset, brief duration, and unbidden occurrence. According to research findings, the well-established basic emotions are anger, disgust, enjoyment, fear, sadness, and surprise.
