Introduction
Plutchiks wheel of emotion divides emotion into eight categories, joy, acceptance, fear, surprise, sadness, disgust, anger and anticipation. Psychologist Robert Plutchik used his eight emotional states as a foundation for further exploration on the emotional spectrums that exist among humans, and his research revealed an interesting phenomenon known as the Pavlovian-Gestalt effect. Basically, the Pavlovian-Gestalt effect states that when exposed to emotionally stimulating stimuli, people react with a combination of two of the eight emotions stated above in order to create a unique emotional response. For example, if exposed to a horror film, someone might respond with a combination of fear and surprise. Or, when exposed to a romantic comedy, someone might respond with a combination of joy and acceptance.
The Pavolivian-Gestalt Effect
The Pavlovian-Gestalt effect is a complex psychological phenomenon that has been studied since the late 19th century. This phenomenon is the result of classical and operant conditioning, and is a strategic response to emotionally triggering stimuli. Basically, the Pavlovian-Gestalt effect states that when exposed to emotionally stimulating stimuli, people react with a combination of two of the eight emotions stated above in order to create a unique emotional response. This effect is most commonly observed in humans as they may respond differently to different kinds of stimuli.
For example, when experiencing a frightening situation, people will utilize a combination of fear and surprise. On the other hand, when faced with a happy or pleasant situation, people usually combine joy and acceptance. The combination of the two emotional states is meant to optimize the experience for the individual. By combining two emotional states, the individual creates a unique response to the stimuli that is both adaptive and strategic in nature.
Classical and Operant Conditioning
The Pavlovian-Gestalt effect is a direct result of the conditioning associated with classical and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is the process through which an individual responds to a stimuli through association. Essentially, when exposed to a particular stimulus (i.e. food, a song, a certain object or sound), the individual develops an automatic response to the stimulus. For example, when hearing an old familiar song, you may automatically become happy or nostalgic.
On the other hand, operant conditioning involves an individual exhibiting a behavior after being rewarded or punished for it. In operant conditioning, the individual develops an unconscious response to a stimulus through repeated association. An example of this would be if you were rewarded for eating more vegetables, even though eating the vegetables was not your initial goal. The reward received for eating the vegetables is what makes you more likely to continue.
Conclusion
The Pavlovian-Gestalt effect is a complex psychological phenomenon that has been studied since the late 19th century. This phenomenon is a result of classical and operant conditioning and is a strategic response to emotionally stimulating stimuli. By combining two of Plutchiks eight emotional states, individuals are able to create a unique response to external stimuli that is both adaptive and strategic in nature. From expressing fear and surprise in conjunction when exposed to a frightening situation, to combining joy and acceptance when faced with a happy situation, the Pavlovian-Gestalt effect has been studied extensively to determine how humans adapt and react to the environment.