The Four-Quadrant Model of Emotionics
Introduction
In Emotionics, emotional behavior can be understood through two axes:
1. Verb Dimension: Feel vs Feign
2. State Dimension: Real vs Fake
By combining these, we arrive at a four-quadrant model that maps the dynamics of emotional experience and performance:
|
|
Real Emotion |
Fake Emotion |
|
Feel |
💧 Feel Real Emotion: Emotion arising authentically from within (e.g., sadness, gratitude, curiosity) |
🫧 Feel Fake Emotion: Emotion that “feels real” but is influenced by external pressure or imitation (e.g., collective anger, trendy empathy) |
|
Feign |
🔥 Feign Real Emotion: A genuine emotion strategically expressed or masked (e.g., diplomatic smile, tactical silence) |
🧊 Feign Fake Emotion: Emotion performed without inner authenticity, often to manipulate others (e.g., commercial happiness, political performance) |
Definitions
• Feel Real Emotion
When a person experiences an emotion genuinely from deep within themselves.
• Feel Fake Emotion
When a person feels an emotion shaped or infected by external influences, often without fully realizing it.
• Feign Real Emotion
When a person intentionally expresses an authentic emotion in a controlled or strategic way.
• Feign Fake Emotion
When a person intentionally performs an emotion that is not genuine, often to influence or control someone else.
Example: Anger in the Four Quadrants
|
Type |
Structure |
Meaning |
|
Feel Real Anger |
Genuine anger from within, arising to correct injustice |
Constructive emotional energy |
|
Feel Fake Anger |
Anger felt through group pressure or social contagion (e.g., SNS outrage) |
Simulated emotion caused by informational infection |
|
Feign Real Anger |
Anger expressed deliberately for strategic effect |
Tactical emotional display (diplomacy, negotiation) |
|
Feign Fake Anger |
Anger performed while believing it is real, but actually false |
Self-deceptive or manipulative emotional behavior |
Afterthought
Much of modern advertising and media seems engineered to elicit Fake Emotions, particularly through Feign Fake Emotion tactics.
By understanding these emotional dynamics, we can begin to defend ourselves against manipulative emotional cues—and restore authenticity in both personal and collective emotional life.