Emotions are innate reactions of our body that accompany us in the most important moments of life. In 1970, the American psychologist Paul Eckman proposed that there are seven basic human emotions and that each of them provokes different reactions in human beings. Therefore, it is necessary to know them to identify how we feel in each situation.
In this Psychology-Online article, we will explain in detail what is the emotion of surprise in psychology And, in addition, we will show you some examples to make it easier for you to recognize. In addition, we will also tell you what other emotions are linked to surprise and the physiological effects it causes.
What is the emotion of surprise in psychology
Surprise is one of those arises from an unexpected event, movement or situation. In the discipline of psychology, surprise is described as a sudden emotion that can be pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, depending on the context that causes said emotion. Basically, it differs from joy and amazement because it can provoke feelings of confusion, wonder, or agitation.
The main function of surprise in psychology is to prepare the organism so that it can react to any exciting stimulus, as well as to help evaluate the context so that our cognitive schemes find the most appropriate response to that situation. In fact, it is a innate mechanism which serves to apply the best emotional strategies to adapt to the environment and its daily demands.
Furthermore, the emotion of surprise allows one to reset thoughts and take the individual out of their own internal thoughts. When we feel surprise, the emotion is brief and sudden, but makes a big impact. Plus, the feeling it generates disappears as quickly as it came.
When we feel surprise
The emotion of surprise can be triggered due to the following situations:
- In unexpected situations or news.
- When we get a scare.
- When we meet a person we haven’t seen in a long time.
- If we receive an unexpected prize or when people plan a surprise party for us.
- At the moment of finding something we thought was lost.
What causes the emotion of surprise
The emotion of surprise can cause many physical, cognitive or subjective effects. These sensations vary depending on the level of stress we experience before the surprise. Next, we will detail what causes the emotion of surprise:
- Subjective effects of surprise: the most common thing is for the individual to be momentarily blocked, their thoughts to come to an abrupt stop and they go into a sudden state of “blank mind.” Afterwards, he will look for the answer to the astonishment to try to decipher the questions. Immediately, the person will pay attention to what just happened and evaluate it.
- Cognitive effects of surprise: the processes of protection, impression and retention of the event are activated. An emotional behavioral reaction may arise derived from amazement at the novel situation.
- Physical effects of surprise: these are easy effects to identify, since they are manifested by a decrease in heart rate, as well as dilation of the pupils and vasoconstriction of the skin. In addition, there will be a momentary increase in neuronal processes, due to the activation of the somatic system. When surprised, the person will also notice general muscle tension, raise their eyebrows and open their eyes wide.
Undoubtedly, surprise is a bittersweet emotional reaction that causes restlessness and tension, while generating a certain degree of pleasure in the face of an unexpected event. Commonly, in psychology the role of this emotion in learning processes is studied.
What emotions are linked to surprise
Various research, such as that proposed by psychologist Robert Plutchik, affirms that surprise is linked to different emotions. In fact, this researcher states that emotions form a kind of wheel in which they combine to create a variety of feelings. Therefore, the emotions linked to surprise are the following:
Now, according to the theory of , the emotional combination that generates surprise results in the following compound emotions:
- Surprise + anger = Indignation.
- Surprise + joy = Delight.
- Surprise + disgust = Disbelief.
- Surprise + confidence = Curiosity.
- Surprise + fear = Alarm.
- Surprise + anguish = Alarm and anxiety.
It should be noted the feelings derived will depend on the context and the emotional expression that results from the belief and value system of the individual who is experiencing the emotion of surprise. However, it will always be a mechanism of action for people, since it is linked to attention, exploration and concentration.
Examples of the emotion of surprise
Being one of the basic human emotions, there are many examples of surprise in daily life, which can be positive, negative or neutral. Next, we will show you some examples of the emotion of surprise:
- Positive surprise: a woman arrives home and discovers from the entrance a path of rose petals that leads to her room, where she finds a bouquet of roses and many gifts for her.
- Negative surprise: a person goes to the bank in his car, but when he leaves the bank he realizes that his car has been stolen.
- Neutral surprise: when the manager of a business discovers that one of his employees has moved out of town.
In any case, surprise facilitates people’s learning, curiosity and adaptation to novel situations.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Díaz, JL, & Enrique, F. (2001). The structure of human emotion: A chromatic model of the affective system. Mental Health, 24(4), 20-35.
- Ekman, P. and Friesen, West Virginia (1975). Unmasking the face. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc.