What are some examples of things that trigger emotions? Getting stuck in traffic? Being hungry? Watching the news? How your partner squeezes the tube of toothpaste (yes, this is one of my pet peeves!)? Most emotion scientists believe that emotions are triggered by how we evaluate events. These events include not only what happens around…
Read MoreHow Many Emotions Are There?
How Many Emotions Do Humans Have? One of the biggest misunderstandings about the 7 universal facial expressions of emotion is that people think that means we have only seven emotions. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, facial expressions of anger, contempt, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise are universally recognized and expressed. But…
Read MoreThe Link Between Emotions and Critical Thinking
Everyone knows the importance of critical thinking. Ever notice that when emotions run high, thinking critically and strategically is almost impossible? In a previous popular blog, we discussed how emotions and critical thinking are intricately linked with each other in high-level sports. But sports is not the only context in which emotions affect our critical…
Read MoreThe Universality of Facial Expressions of Emotion, An Update
The Face is Special: The Seven Universal Emotions Those of you who have been following us (thank you!) know that faces do many things, and one very special thing that faces do is express emotion. Over half a century of scientific research has documented that seven facial expressions of emotion are universally expressed and recognized, all around the world, regardless of…
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