Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Sep 29;7(4):66.
doi: 10.3390/bs7040066.

On the Importance of Both Dimensional and Discrete Models of Emotion

Eddie Harmon-Jones  1 , Cindy Harmon-Jones  2 , Elizabeth Summerell  3
Affiliations
Review

On the Importance of Both Dimensional and Discrete Models of Emotion

Eddie Harmon-Jones et al. Behav Sci (Basel). .

Abstract

We review research on the structure and functions of emotions that has benefitted from a serious consideration of both discrete and dimensional perspectives on emotion. To illustrate this point, we review research that demonstrates: (1) how affective valence within discrete emotions differs as a function of individuals and situations, and how these differences relate to various functions; (2) that anger (and other emotional states) should be considered as a discrete emotion but there are dimensions around and within anger; (3) that similarities exist between approach-related positive and negative discrete emotions and they have unique motivational functions; (4) that discrete emotions and broad dimensions of emotions both have unique functions; and (5) evidence that a "new" discrete emotion with discrete functions exists within a broader emotion family. We hope that this consideration of both discrete and dimensional perspectives on emotion will assist in understanding the functions of emotions.

Keywords: anger; approach motivation; cognitive dissonance; cognitive scope; emotions.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funding sponsors had no role in the writing of the manuscript.

References

    1. Barrett L.F., Lindquist K.A., Bliss-Moreau E., Duncan S., Gendron M., Mize J., Brennan L. Of mice and men: Natural kinds of emotions in the mammalian brain? A response to Panksepp and Izard. Perspect. Psychol. Sci. 2007;2:297–312. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-6916.2007.00046.x. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Russell J.A. A circumplex model of affect. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 1980;39:1161–1178. doi: 10.1037/h0077714. - DOI
    1. Watson D. Mood and Temperament. Guilford Press; New York, NY, USA: 2000.
    1. Ekman P. Universals and cultural differences in facial expressions of emotion. In: Cole J., editor. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation. Volume 19. University of Nebraska Press; Lincoln, UK: 1972. pp. 207–283.
    1. Ekman P. All emotions are basic. In: Ekman P., Davidson R., editors. The Nature of Emotion: Fundamental Questions. Oxford University Press; New York, NY, USA: 1994. pp. 15–19.

LinkOut - more resources