Surprise (emotion)

For other uses, see Surprise (disambiguation).

Surprise ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a brief emotional state experienced as the result of an unexpected event. Surprise can have any valence; that is, it can be neutral/moderate, pleasant, or unpleasant. If a person experiences a very powerful or long lasting surprise, it may be considered shock.

Reality Construction

Surprise is intimately connected to the idea of acting in accordance with a set of rules. When the rules of reality generating events of daily life separate from the rules of thumb expectations, surprise is the outcome. Surprise represents the difference between expectations and reality, the gap between our assumptions and expectations about worldly events and the way that those events actually turn out. In essence, surprises are the end result of predictions that fail. ^[1]

Body Language

Surprise is expressed in the face by the following features:

• Eyebrows that are raised so they become curved and high.
• Horizontal wrinkles across the forehead.
• Open eyelids: the upper lid is raised and the lower lid is drawn down, often exposing the white sclera above and below the iris.
• Dropped jaw so that the lips and teeth are parted, with no tension around the mouth.

Spontaneous, involuntary surprise is often expressed for only a fraction of a second. It may be followed immediately by the emotion of fear, joy or confusion. The intensity of the surprise is associated with how much the jaw drops, but the mouth may not open at all in some cases. The raising of the eyebrows, at least momentarily, is the most distinctive and predictable sign of surprise.^[2]

References

1. ^ John L.Cast; "Complexification: Explaining a paradoxical world through the Science of Surprise", Abacus, 1994.
2. ^ Ekman, P. & Friesen, W. V. (1975). Unmasking the face. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc.

See also

• Affective neuroscience
• Paul Ekman
• Carrol Izard
• Interest (emotion)
• Startle response
• Nihil admirari
• Predictable surprise
• Postponement of affect