Psychologist Robert Plutchik states that there are 8 basic emotions: joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness, anticipation, anger, and disgust. This happens on a subconscious level, i.e out of our awareness. When our emotions are triggered, they are done so to elicit one of our basic survival behaviors. When people don’t understand their current emotion, they may panic as their internal locus of control leaves them in disillusionment. It’s important to understand and manage them. This fits very well with our Gestalt theory, in that is predominantly about awareness.Įmotions influence our health, performance, well-being, motivation, sense of fulfillment, and decision-making skills. With a wheel of emotions, the individual can view the various emotions and pinpoint the specific ones they’re experiencing in the moment. This is especially true of individuals who want to understand themselves or a stressful situation, but don’t know where to start. Walking around with a mind full of confusion and uncertainty can make anyone feel sad or overwhelmed. Is it any wonder why we are very drawn to Plutchik’s 1980 Wheel of Emotions. Over at the TLC Counselling Hub we love a bit of colour.
