▁to ▁the ▁very ▁orig ins ▁of ▁language . ▁ ▁Em ot ions ▁have ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁discrete ▁and ▁consistent ▁responses ▁to ▁internal ▁or ▁external ▁events ▁which ▁have ▁a ▁particular ▁significance ▁for ▁the ▁organ ism . ▁ ▁Em ot ions ▁are ▁brief ▁in ▁duration ▁and ▁consist ▁of ▁a ▁coordin ated ▁set ▁of ▁responses , ▁which ▁may ▁include ▁phys i ological , ▁behaviour al , ▁and ▁neural ▁mechan isms . ▁Em ot ions ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁evolution ▁because ▁they ▁provided ▁good ▁solutions ▁to ▁ancient ▁and ▁rec urr ing ▁problems ▁that ▁faced ▁ancest ors . ▁ ▁Later ality ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁proposed ▁that ▁negative , ▁withdraw al - associ ated ▁emot ions ▁are ▁processed ▁pre domin antly ▁by ▁the ▁right ▁hem is phere , ▁whereas ▁the ▁left ▁hem is phere ▁is ▁largely ▁responsible ▁for ▁processing ▁positive , ▁approach - related ▁emot ions . ▁ ▁This ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁the ▁" l ater ality - val ence ▁hypothesis ". ▁ ▁Basic ▁and ▁complex ▁human ▁emot ions ▁In ▁humans , ▁a ▁distinction ▁is ▁sometimes ▁made ▁between ▁" basic " ▁and ▁" complex " ▁emot ions . ▁ ▁Six ▁emot ions ▁have ▁been ▁class ified ▁as ▁basic : ▁anger , ▁dis g ust , ▁fear , ▁happiness , ▁sad ness ▁and ▁surprise . ▁ ▁Complex ▁emot ions ▁would ▁include ▁cont empt , ▁je alous y ▁and ▁sympathy . ▁However , ▁this ▁distinction ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁maintain , ▁and ▁animals ▁are ▁often ▁said ▁to ▁express ▁even ▁the ▁complex ▁emot ions . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Be