Surprise
| Primary emotion | Secondary emotions | Tertiary emotions |
|---|---|---|
| Surprise | Surprise | Amazement, astonishment, surprise |
|
Surprise
Surprise is a brief emotional state experienced as the result of an unexpected significant event. Surprise can have any valence; that is, it can be neutral, pleasant, or unpleasant. If a person experiences a very powerful or long lasting surprise it may be considered shock.
Amazement
Amazement (or awe) is an emotion comparable to wonder but less joyous, and more fearful or respectful. In general awe is directed at objects considered to be more powerful than the subject, such as the breaking of huge waves on the base of a rocky cliff, or the thundering roar of a massive waterfall. The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Grand Canyon, or the vastness of open space in the cosmos are all places or concepts which would typically inspire awe. Awe is defined in Robert Plutchik's Wheel of emotions as a combination of surprise and fear.
Astonishment
Astonishment; a noun, plural astonishments)
- 1.amazement, great surprise
- 2.An amazing thing or phenomenon.
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