Study of Basic Emotions in the General Population Using the Likert Scale Download PDF

Emotions are an important part of the human psyche that directs social behavior. Because of the complexity and limited understanding of the nature of these psychological elements, their practical study is often difficult. The use of the Likert scale together with the recall of emotional experiences over some time is considered to be an effective method of studying emotions. We analyzed the normal distribution of the basic emotions in a general population group and found that anger and sadness have a statistically normal distribution. Studying a larger group might show a statistically normal distribution for the rest of the fundamental emotions. Cronbach's Alpha value is 0.880 which translates into a high reliability level. The Likert scale is a practical tool for studying basic emotions. By recalling and evaluating emotions on a scale, it is possible to evaluate emotional experiences in the studied group. Happiness and sadness have a statistically normal distribution in the studied group. The practical assessment of emotions can be used in statistical correlations to evaluate different behaviors.