Happiness: quick facts
Happiness is the positive emotion spanning a range from quiet contentment to intense joy. It is one of Paul Ekman's six basic emotions and the opposite of sadness. Researchers study happiness with both self-report…
Category
Basic emotions
Valence
Positive
Emotion family / blend
Happiness
Typical triggers
Achievement, connection, pleasure, meaning, safety
How it's expressed
Genuine (Duchenne) smile, relaxed posture, raised cheeks
Sources: Paul Ekman Group — Universal Emotions; American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion; Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley — Emotions. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.