Many people use the words “feelings” and “emotions” interchangeably, as we do throughout the text, but there are important distinctions and several theories drawn from more than a century and a half of research, beginning with Charles Darwin. To summarize, feelings are cognitive and internal and emotions are “expressed” and are visible.

Paul Ekman has described fifteen distinguishable emotions:1

1. Amusement

2. Anger

3. Contempt

4. Contentment

5. Disgust

6. Embarrassment

7. Excitement

8. Fear

9. Guilt

10. Pride in achievement

11. Relief

12. Sadness/distress

13. Satisfaction

14. Sensory pleasure

15. Shame

These emotions are all visible and discernable from one another by facial expression and other nonvocal cues.