Communicating affect

“Above all, the cognitive system is infinitely more diverse and flexible that the affective system … But there are only a handful of emotions and feelings that can be felt, and they can be felt only in some few, very constrained ways … affect can be communicated much more efficiently and accurately than thought in spite of the fact its vocabulary is quite limited.” Zajonc, R.B. Feelings and Thinking: Preferences need no inferences, American Psychologist, 35, pp. 151-175. 1980.