Robert Plutchik, an American psychologist, created the Wheel of Emotions to help people identify and understand their emotions.
But what exactly is an emotion anyway? The word "emotion" comes from the Latin "emovere" and means MOVEMENT. In short, emotions are conscious and unconscious reactions that arise in response to environmental and cognitive stimuli.
When it comes to emotions, there are several theories, and if there's one thing they all have in common, it's understanding that emotions are complex and powerful. With that in mind, Plutchik created a model to help us better visualize and understand our emotions.
He informs us that eight primary emotions are represented by the inner circle and more intense colors, which correspond to the maximum intensity levels of each emotion.
Plutchik also argues that each emotion has a specific evolutionary function. He identified the following survival behaviors triggered by each:
Entendendo a Roda
The center circle of the wheel represents the primary emotions.
As we move away from the center of the wheel, emotions become less intense in terms of euphoria.
Emotions closer to each other on the wheel are considered more similar than those farther apart. Also, the words outside the wheel represent standard mixes of emotions.
How can we apply this understanding to experience design?
Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions is a valuable tool to help us build the audience's emotional journey through experiences. Understanding emotions and their functions clarifies how to make an experience significant for people.
To create an emotional journey, it's critical to understand your goals with the experience. For example, if you want wonder to be the result, you should consider that apprehension and ecstasy will be part of the journey. Understand the role of emotions in each touchpoint and work to make this emotional journey make sense to the person experiencing the experience.
Remember that emotions are reactions, so build your touchpoints effectively so they can evoke those reactions in people. Also, it's essential to recognize that each individual who goes through the experience will experience emotions differently, and that's the beauty of human uniqueness.
Finally, it's essential to understand that you won't be able to generate the same emotion and perception in everyone, and that's okay. The important thing is to create an authentic and meaningful experience that resonates with people on an emotional level.
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