Ekman's Seven Universal Emotions

Paul Ekman identified seven universal emotions that are recognized across cultures: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise, and contempt. These emotions are basic feelings that everyone experiences and can often be identified through facial expressions, regardless of cultural background. For example, a smile typically signals happiness, while a frown indicates sadness or anger. Recognizing these emotions helps improve understanding and communication between people. Ekman's research shows that these emotions are hardwired, meaning they are natural responses to certain experiences and are expressed similarly worldwide, emphasizing the shared human experience.