Primary vs. Secondary Emotions: What’s the Difference?
What are the primary emotions? Secondary emotions? How do we process them? What are the impacts these emotions could make if we don’t interpret them well? We break it down and figure it all out on this episode!
In step to process your emotions, one must understand that as human beings, the following primary emotions below are hardwired, innate, universal, automatic, and fast, which triggers the behavior. Generally speaking, emotions and explanations in trying to understand these are constantly changing and in the continuous debacle in making sense of who we are.
The 6 basic emotions, according to Paul Eckman.
1. Anger
2. Disgust
3. Fear
4. Happiness
5. Sadness
6. Surprise
The 8 basic emotions, categorized into 4 polar opposites identified by Robert Plutchik.
1. Joy and sadness
2. Anger and fear
3. Trust and distrust
4. Surprise and anticipation
Primary emotions are these basic emotions that Paul Eckman and Robert Plutchik have shared, while secondary emotions are a mixture of all these things. The primary emotions refer to your traumas, while the secondary ones are the effects of the primary emotions you are feeling or harboring over the years of your existence.
Tips to process your emotions better:
1. Find the root of your emotions.
Ask yourself: Is what you’re feeling an effect of another emotion?
Sometimes, you feel emotions without really knowing and understanding the root cause. Before doing anything you might regret, understand your emotions first. (JP)
2. You don’t stop the emotions abruptly.
Give yourself the allowance to be angry, disgusted, afraid, happy, sad, or surprised and then be ready to process it. Have introspection and do something about that emotion.
“Process your emotions.”
It’s imperative that you understand that emotions demands to be felt and understood; you cannot just say “Stop being angry!” You need to dig deeper, soothe, and control what you’re feeling. (AA)
3. Identify and put a label on the emotions you are feeling
It is not enough that you are feeling your feelings. For you to process them, you need to know what triggers them. While doing so, you can now maintain or change things and resolve what can be resolved moving forward.
Identifying your emotions is a process. You can write, journal about it and sleep on it. The important thing is you face these so it won’t keep on hunting you. Ask yourself: Is the emotion I am feeling only a fever of a situation? Then identify what you wanted to do about it. (JP)
“Your emotion is not there to define you, but it needs to be felt and resolved.”
4. Deal with your feelings by answering the whys!
There are no terrible and wrong emotions. We have to know how to act on it. If emotions are too much and you cannot deal with it, ask for a professional’s help. Go to therapy. There’s no shame in that.
5. Control the secondary emotions and resolve the primary emotions.
This way, you can also have a grasp on controlling both kinds.
Primary emotions are the things you really need to control in order for you to resolve. Not knowing your emotions, traumas, and feelings could form bad habits if you don’t know how to control them accordingly. (JP)
“Emotion can control your personality.”
From Episode 119 of Adulting with Joyce Pring: “Primary vs. Secondary Emotions: What’s the Difference?”