An Interactive Atlas of Emotions

[david_myers]

Originally posted on May 12, 2016.

With support from the Dalai Lama, the famed emotion researcher, Paul Ekman, has created an interactive Atlas of Emotions. Ekman’s survey of 248 emotion researchers identified five basic emotions that most agreed are shared by all humans:

• Anger (91 percent agreement): a reaction to interference.
• Fear (90 percent agreement): our response to danger.
• Disgust (86 percent agreement): a response to anything toxic.
• Sadness (80 percent agreement): occasioned by loss.
• Enjoyment (76 percent agreement): our experience of what feels good.

Ekman’s interactive maps allow visitors to explore the varied experiences of these emotions (sadness, for example, ranges from disappointment to anguish). And they offer specific examples of what triggers each emotion, and what effect it has. For those looking for a class lab activity, the site warrants a visit.