Figure 1.

Core affect represented as a two-dimensional space along both a valence (x) and arousal (y) axis. Quadrants Q1 and Q2 represent positive affective states with high and low arousal respectively. Quadrants Q3 and Q4 represent negative affective states with low and high arousal respectively. Arrows indicate the adaptive emotional systems related to the acquisition of fitness-enhancing rewards (green) and the avoidance of fitness-reducing punishments (red). Words in grey italics indicate possible locations of specific discrete emotions within the core affect. Adapted from Mendl et al.¹⁹.