The Eight Basic Emotions
Psychologist Robert Plutchik proposed in 1980 that humans share eight basic emotions, arranged in a wheel of opposites. This quiz uses his eight as possible results.
| Emotion | Opposite | What it does for us |
|---|---|---|
| Joy | Sadness | Encourages connection and play |
| Trust | Disgust | Builds bonds and cooperation |
| Fear | Anger | Protects from danger |
| Surprise | Anticipation | Helps us react to the unexpected |
| Sadness | Joy | Signals loss and invites support |
| Disgust | Trust | Protects from harmful things |
| Anger | Fear | Energises us against injustice |
| Anticipation | Surprise | Motivates planning and goals |
In Plutchik’s wheel, emotions also blend: joy plus trust gives love, anticipation plus joy gives optimism, and fear plus surprise gives awe.
How The Quiz Works
Ten questions ask about films, injustice, trips, decisions and even your favourite colour. Each answer adds points to one or two emotions. Your result is the emotion that most shapes your personality, and the bars show your mix.
Other Models Of Emotion
- Paul Ekman identified six basic emotions with universal facial expressions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust.
- **Pixar’s Inside Out** (2015) used five of them, Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust, with advice from psychologists including Ekman and Dacher Keltner.
- Modern research, such as Lisa Feldman Barrett’s theory of constructed emotion, argues emotions are less fixed and more shaped by culture and context than basic emotion theories suggest.
Why Every Emotion Matters
No emotion is “bad”. Research on emotional diversity, or “emodiversity”, suggests that experiencing a wide range of emotions, including negative ones, is linked with better mental and physical health. Understanding your core emotion can help you notice which feelings you lean on and which you avoid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the basic emotions?
Plutchik listed eight: joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness, disgust, anger and anticipation. Ekman listed six.
Is my result my mood?
No. It reflects your emotional style, the emotion that tends to shape how you react.
Is it bad to get anger or sadness?
Not at all. Both emotions serve important purposes.
More Quizzes Like This
Test your emotional intelligence or find your aura color.
Fun Quizzes
Hogwarts House Quiz
Twelve situations decide whether you belong in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin, with a score for every house so you can see your second choice too.
Fun Quizzes
Tarot Birth Card Calculator
Enter your date of birth to find your Major Arcana birth cards and their constellation, with the calculation shown step by step so you can check it.
Fun Quizzes
Omegaverse Quiz
Twelve questions about leadership, comfort and conflict place you as an Alpha, Beta, Omega or the rare Enigma, with your full omegaverse mix.
Fun Quizzes
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Twelve questions match you with one of twelve princesses, from Snow White to Moana, with your closest runners-up shown too.
Fun Quizzes
Patronus Quiz
Twelve questions about your happiest memories and how you face fear reveal which of twelve animals your Patronus would take, with close runners-up.
Fun Quizzes
Which Harry Potter Character Are You?
Twelve questions match you with one of eleven characters, from Harry and Hermione to Snape and Luna, based on your values, fears and instincts.
Just for fun. Not a psychological assessment.