How to use the emotion wheel to improve your well-being

By Allaya Cooks-Campbell

November 4, 2024 - 19 MIN READ

Feelings are complicated. Sometimes, you may feel two things at once, while other times, you may not know how you’re feeling or what to do about it. To understand what’s happening beneath the surface, psychologist Robert Plutchik simplified the range of potential emotional states into a visual model called the emotion wheel.

Plutchik’s wheel of emotions depicts eight core emotions that are at the heart of our experiences, reactions, and sensations. You can use this wheel as a starting point to dissect why you feel the way you feel, what your feelings are trying to tell you, and what to do about it.

What is the emotion wheel (or feelings wheel)?

The emotion wheel is a circular graph that helps people identify and understand their feelings and act accordingly. It depicts the range of human emotions and how they relate to one another.

According to research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, humans are capable of 27 distinct emotional states that are bridged by variants of each emotion.

Various versions of the emotion wheel have surfaced over the years as researchers and therapists have adapted the concept for their own uses.

The model created by Plutchik, also called the Plutchik wheel, has eight core emotions (also known as primary emotions) at the center:

• Joy
• Fear
• Surprise
• Anger
• Trust
• Sadness
• Disgust
• Anticipation

How does an emotion wheel work?

Plutchik’s emotion wheel is shaped like a colorful flower. The eight core emotions make up the flower’s center, and each petal conveys different levels (or intensities) of those emotions. The space between two petals represents how those emotions can be combined.

The different intensity levels are sometimes described as the following:

• Primary emotions: Primary emotions are located in the second circle from the middle and are considered the basis for all other emotions. These are the eight core emotions identified by Plutchik, and all of the other emotions on the wheel stem from these.
• Secondary emotions: Secondary emotions make up the outer ring. These emotions build off the primary emotions and are depicted in a lighter color because they’re lower in intensity than the primary emotions. For example, apprehension is a milder form of fear, which is why it’s located in the outermost ring.
• Tertiary emotions: In the innermost layer are tertiary emotions, which also build off the primary emotions but have more intensity. Sticking with the example related to fear, terror — which is shown in the innermost layer — is a more intense version of fear.

Here’s a detailed look at the primary emotions and their related secondary and tertiary emotions:

• Sadness: includes grief and pensiveness
• Disgust: includes loathing and boredom
• Anger: includes rage and annoyance
• Anticipation: includes vigilance and interest
• Joy: includes ecstasy and serenity
• Fear: includes terror and apprehension
• Surprise: includes amazement and distraction
• Trust: includes admiration and acceptance

Opposite emotions

If you look at the emotions wheel, you’ll see that each of the core emotions is directly across from its polar opposite. The emotions pair up in the following ways:

• Joy and sadness; ecstasy and grief
• Trust and disgust; admiration and loathing
• Anger and fear; rage and terror
• Anticipation and surprise; vigilance and amazement

Feelings wheel versus emotion wheel

Plutchik’s wheel of emotions was first proposed in 1980. Two years later, in 1982, psychologist Gloria Willcox created the feelings wheel version with only six core feelings. The two models are similar, with the main difference being the number of core emotions in the center.

How to use the emotion wheel

The emotion wheel can be helpful if you’re experiencing strong emotions but can’t put a name to them. Here are some steps you can take to make the most of using the emotions wheel to identify how you’re feeling.

1. Save a version of the emotion wheel: Consider printing a copy of the emotion wheel or downloading the image onto your phone, so that you have a copy the next time you aren’t quite sure what you’re feeling.
2. Check-in on how you’re feeling: Now that you have the wheel of emotions in front of you, try to identify which primary or basic emotion on the wheel best describes your current feeling. It may be easiest to start by choosing one of the eight core emotions because they’re broader. After that, you can narrow it down.
3. Communicate your emotions: Once you’ve identified the exact emotion (or emotions) you’re feeling, try sharing your findings with someone you trust. The emotion wheel is meant to assist you with expressing emotions by creating common connective language. Talking through them can help you pinpoint why you might be feeling this way and develop coping mechanisms that can help.
4. Take action: Understanding your different emotions and the “why” behind them can better prepare you to take the appropriate actions. Using the wheel of emotions can help you slow down and carefully consider the situation rather than being reactive.

How to put the emotion wheel into practice

It’s helpful to understand the theory of constructed emotion to understand how feelings work.

As psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett outlines in the book How Emotions Are Made, the theory of constructed emotions explains that feelings aren’t just reactions. Instead, they are how your brain makes sense of your physical sensations and the information around you.

Using a tool like the emotion wheel can help you get more granular in your understanding of how you feel. Identifying your emotional state puts you in a better position to respond, not react, which can help promote your emotional health while improving your connection with others.

Using the emotion wheel to improve your mental well-being

Here are six ways you can use the emotion wheel to develop your relationship with yourself and those around you.

1. As a tool for labeling

   Labeling is a powerful tool for stopping emotional spirals in their tracks. Instead of pushing feelings away, labeling can help you make sense of them.

2. As a tool for self-awareness

   When you begin paying attention to your feelings, you develop self-awareness.

3. As a tool for emotional regulation

   Emotional regulation is the ability to stay calm, collected, and centered despite stress.

Using the emotion wheel to improve your connection with others

4. As a communication tool

   If you have trouble explaining how you feel to others, an emotion wheel can help open up conversations.

5. As a tool to understand others

   Not everyone has an easy time or feels safe expressing different emotions.

6. As a learning tool with children

   Kids seem to be innately emotionally aware.

Benefits of the emotion wheel

Using an emotion wheel to navigate daily life can come with a host of benefits to both your personal and professional path. These include the following:

• Increased self-awareness: It makes it easier to identify and express your feelings.
• Improved self-regulation: It is the first step to becoming better at regulating your feelings.
• Better communication with others: Identifying emotions can improve your emotional literacy.
• Increased empathy: It helps fuel cognitive empathy.
• Improved conflict management: It can help you take a step back to understand why emotions are running high.
• Healthier relationships: Recognizing your emotions contributes to healthy relationships.
• Pattern recognition: It can help you uncover and recognize your emotional patterns.

Use the emotion wheel to spark lasting personal growth

Feelings and emotions aren’t something to suppress. Part of emotional well-being is using your feelings to identify where you are out of alignment with your needs and personal values.

When you use the emotion wheel to stop and listen to your feelings, you develop the emotional awareness to understand what they’re telling you.