Multidimensional Model of Emotion (MME) of Robert Plutchik

Basic Ideas:

Robert Plutchik has built a model reminiscent of a half grapefruit or, his choice, a half orange. Within this model, Plutchik has portrayed and melded a wide range of emotions into positive and negative segments of varying intensities. For example, he describes terror as a stronger variant of fear which, in turn, is a stronger variant of apprehension. Similarly, pensiveness, sadness, and grief are presented as varying degrees of a family of emotions - emotions with a common directional thread which only vary in intensity. This model, which Plutchik calls his Multidimensional Model of the Emotions (MME), defines eight primary emotional dimensions with all other emotions as variants of these primary ones. The borders between these sections of his MME are termed "dyads". Using such techniques as dyads for refinement, he has incorporated well over 100 emotional terms in various models similar to the MME.

One of Plutchik's most telling diagrams is his figure 11.2 (page 156) in his book EMOTION: A Psychoevolutionary Synthesis where he gives a decision tree perspective of how an emotion is evoked. He begins with a stimulus event which the creature evaluates and then determines as "good" or "bad". From this evaluation, either approach or avoidance behaviors commence. Approach would include "explore", "eat", "orient", and "mate". Avoidance would include "withdraw", "vomit", "cry for help", or "fight".

Theory Roots:

Plutchik acknowledges ancient physician, Galen (physician to gladiators and Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius), as the inspiration from which evolved a wheel-like or circular diagram in the 20th century describing personality traits - what H. J. Eysenck called the Galen-Wundt theory of personality structure. It becomes quickly obvious from Plutchik's writing that he recognized a commonality between emotions and that intensity was the differentiating factor. Thus, it appears that he took Galen's 2-dimensional wheel design, applied it to emotions, and gave it a third dimension to reflect the varying intensity. (As an interesting aside, Plutchik's extrapolation and enhancement from Galen's wheel to the MME is a fascinating and instructive example of creativity.)

Importance:

Plutchik's citrus model, his MME, gives depth and breadth to the psychological side of Victor Johnston's Hedonic Tone Theory. Combined with Johnston's work, Plutchik's ideas can be anchored in biology and neurobiology. More important, through Plutchik's model, all feelings (emotions and affects) can be systematically reduced to intrinsic positive and negative biases and their corresponding approach and avoidance behaviors.

Further Reading:

EMOTION: A Psychoevolutionary Synthesis

Robert Plutchik - NEW YORK: Harper & Row, 1980. ISBN 0-06-045235-8

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