A New Taxonomy of Affect-A Spatiotemporal Framework: Constructing the Elephant

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Affective Science
• Emotion Theory

Background:

• The discovery of a comprehensive emotion taxonomy remains a central goal in emotion theory.
• Existing models often lack a foundational structure of affect to support such a taxonomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a framework for constructing an emotion taxonomy based on affect structure.
• To propose a novel model for categorizing emotions and understanding their relationships.

Main Methods:

• Development of a two-axis circumplex-like framework with temporal (vertical) and spatial (horizontal) axes.
• Integration of five essential opposing and complementary properties underpinning affect.
• Utilizing a binomial labeling method for emotion valence and Euclidean spaces for mixed emotions.

Main Results:

• The proposed structure defines four basic affect states, categorizing emotions and explaining inter-category differences and similarities.
• The model accounts for mixed emotions and complex emotional conditions arising from basic emotions across categories.
• It addresses the categorical error leading to confusion between similar emotions like shame-embarrassment and contempt-disgust.

Conclusions:

• The developed model provides a robust structure for emotion taxonomy, grounded in the fundamental properties of affect.
• This framework offers insights into the nature of mixed emotions and the functional differences between reactive and self-reflective emotions, including anxiety.