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Differential Emotions Scale (DES)3

Differential Emotions Scale (DES) Test

With 30 questions and a completion time of about six minutes, the Differential Emotions Scale (DES) Test helps you explore the intensity of current positive and negative emotions. Your profile can support self-reflection by highlighting emotional patterns, including feelings such as joy, fear, anger, shame, and guilt.

Questions: 306 minutes

Differential Emotions Scale (DES): situation and reply bubbles

October 2, 2025October 2, 2025Material has been updatedOctober 2, 2025Material has been published

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2,052 completions

1,621 likes

Daniel Hall Psychologist · Test reviewer

1,621 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

Anxious Depressive Emotions IndexADEI

TDAM reflects the intensity of a relatively stable anxiety–depressive emotional pattern shaping one’s subjective appraisal of the current situation.

example score25/45

25/45Moderateexample score

9 – 20Low

21 – 30Moderate

31 – 45High

A score of 25 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme level of anxiety–depressive emotional tone at the moment.

Negative Emotions (NEM)NE

NEM summarizes the overall intensity of acute negative emotions being experienced in the current situation.

example score39/60

39/60Highexample score

12 – 24Low

25 – 32Moderate

33 – 60High

A score of 39 falls in the High range, suggesting a relatively elevated level of negative emotional response right now.

Positive Emotions IndexPEI

Assesses the intensity of positive emotional attitude toward the current situation.

example score32/45

32/45Highexample score

9 – 19Low

20 – 28Moderate

29 – 45High

A score of 32 falls in the High range, indicating a relatively strong positive emotional orientation toward the current situation.

Guilt (X)G

Measures the current intensity of guilt related to perceived responsibility for a moral or ethical wrongdoing.

example score10/15

10/15Moderateexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 10 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme level of guilt at the moment.

Shame (IX)S

Measures the current intensity of shame related to perceived mismatch with personal or social standards.

example score9/15

9/15Moderateexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 9 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme level of shame right now.

Fear (VIII)F

Measures the current intensity of fear in response to perceived potential threat or danger.

example score10/15

10/15Moderateexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 10 indicates a moderate level of fear, suggesting noticeable but not overwhelming threat-related tension at the moment.

Contempt (VII)C

Measures the current intensity of contempt, reflecting negative evaluation or distancing toward others due to perceived mismatched values, views, or behavior.

example score8/15

8/15Moderateexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 8 indicates a moderate level of contempt, suggesting some noticeable negative distancing or critical appraisal toward others in the current moment.

Disgust (VI)D

Measures the current intensity of disgust in response to things perceived as violating one’s moral, ideological, or aesthetic standards.

example score10/15

10/15Moderateexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 10 indicates a moderate level of disgust, suggesting noticeable aversion that may influence how certain situations or stimuli are experienced right now.

AngerA

Measures the current intensity of anger as a negative emotional response to perceived obstacles or frustration.

example score6/15

6/15Lowexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 6 falls in the Low range, suggesting relatively mild anger at the moment.

Grief (IV)G

Measures the current intensity of grief-related emotional distress linked to perceived loss or blocked vital needs.

example score9/15

9/15Moderateexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 9 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme level of grief-related emotional strain right now.

Surprise (III)S

Measures the current intensity of surprise in response to sudden or unexpected events, reflecting a brief attentional shift that can transition into interest.

example score13/15

13/15Highexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 13 indicates high surprise, suggesting a strong immediate orienting response to something unexpected that may momentarily override other emotions and draw focused attention.

JoyJ

Measures the current intensity of joy related to experiencing a positive outcome or satisfaction of a need.

example score7/15

7/15Low joyexample score

3 – 7Low joy

8 – 11Moderate joy

12 – 15High joy

A score of 7 indicates low current joy, suggesting limited positive uplift or satisfaction at the moment.

Interest (I)I

Measures the current intensity of interest as a positive emotion linked to curiosity, learning, and engagement.

example score7/15

7/15Lowexample score

3 – 7Low

8 – 11Moderate

12 – 15High

A score of 7 indicates low current interest, suggesting limited curiosity or engagement at the moment.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Self-awareness seekers

41%OF USERS

People who want a quick snapshot of what they’re feeling right now, especially when emotions are mixed or hard to name.

Therapy and coaching clients

34%OF USERS

Clients using the test before or during sessions to clarify their emotional state and track changes after stressful events.

Helping professionals

25%OF USERS

Psychologists, coaches, and counselors who use it to map a client’s emotional profile and guide next steps in support.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Shaded area — where most people score

Dot — the average

You — your score lands on each curve after the test— your score, after the test

TDAM (anxious)

You?

Average29.4

Typical rangeTypical24.7 – 34

Possible9 – 45

NEM (Negative)

You?

Average40.5

Typical rangeTypical33.8 – 47.3

Possible12 – 60

PEM (positive)

You?

Average25.2

Typical rangeTypical19.3 – 31

Possible9 – 45

Guilt (X)

You?

Average6.9

Typical rangeTypical5.4 – 8.4

Possible3 – 15

Shame (IX)

You?

Average7.6

Typical rangeTypical6.2 – 9.1

Possible3 – 15

Fear (VIII)

You?

Average6.3

Typical rangeTypical4.7 – 7.8

Possible3 – 15

Contempt (VII)

You?

Average10.3

Typical rangeTypical8.3 – 12.2

Possible3 – 15

Disgust (VI)

You?

Average11.9

Typical rangeTypical10.2 – 13.6

Possible3 – 15

Anger (V)

You?

Average9.7

Typical rangeTypical7.6 – 11.8

Possible3 – 15

Grief (IV)

You?

Average12

Typical rangeTypical10.2 – 13.7

Possible3 – 15

Surprise (III)

You?

Average10.9

Typical rangeTypical9.2 – 12.6

Possible3 – 15

Joy (II)

You?

Average7.4

Typical rangeTypical5.7 – 9

Possible3 – 15

Interest (I)

You?

Average6.4

Typical rangeTypical4.7 – 8.1

Possible3 – 15

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

You will be presented with a list of adjectives that describe different shades of a person’s emotional experiences. Please rate the extent to which each of the listed experiences applies to you at the present time. Do not spend too much time deciding on an answer; your first impression is usually the most accurate.

- Experience is completely absent
- Experience is slightly present
- Experience is moderately present
- Experience is strongly present
- Experience is present to the greatest extent
- Experience is completely absent
- Experience is present to a slight degree
- Experience is present to a moderate degree
- Experience is present to a strong degree
- Experience is present to the maximum degree
- Experience is completely absent
- Experience is present slightly
- Experience is present moderately
- Experience is present strongly
- Experience is present to the maximum degree

These are 3 of the 30 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

Differential Emotions Scale (DES) Test - Description and methodology of the test

emotional state

For readers interested in how situational appraisal can involve differentiated emotional experience, the Differential Emotions Scale (DES) Test offers a focused way to examine it. It is intended for people who want to consider how positive, negative, and discrete emotions may shape their interpretation of a situation. This emotional self-assessment can make a complex experience easier to reflect on without reducing it to one mood label.

What the Questionnaire Measures

This discrete emotions test examines current emotional appraisal:

Anxious Depressive Emotions Index (9-45; Low 9-20, Moderate 21-30, High 31-45) measures stable anxious-depressive experience; Negative Emotions (NEM) (12-60; Low 12-24, Moderate 25-32, High 33-60) measures acute negativity; Positive Emotions Index (9-45; Low 9-19, Moderate 20-28, High 29-45) measures positive affect.
Guilt (X) and Shame (IX) (each 3-15; Low 3-7, Moderate 8-11, High 12-15) separate responsibility for wrongdoing from distress over standards.
Fear (VIII), Contempt (VII), Disgust (VI), Anger, Grief (IV), Surprise (III), and Interest (I) (each 3-15; Low 3-7, Moderate 8-11, High 12-15) cover threat, interpersonal conflict, principles, blocked needs, loss, novelty, learning; Joy (3-15; Low joy 3-7, Moderate joy 8-11, High joy 12-15) reflects fulfilment.

Methodology and Scientific Basis

Each item presents a short emotional descriptor-such as happy, surprised, sad, angry, fearful, shame, or guilty-and asks how strongly the experience is present. Five response points move from complete absence to the greatest or maximum degree, with minor wording variation. It is a DES self-report test using intensity ratings.

The result displays separate scores for the named emotional dimensions and broader indices rather than one global total; displayed ranges organize the result for each named scale.

This questionnaire is conceptually consistent with the Differential Emotions Scale and Izard’s theoretical account of discrete emotions, but it is not documented as an adaptation of the published instrument. Published research on Izard’s scale examined reliability and validity, while DES-III is a separate revision focused on higher-order factors. Those findings do not establish standardized norms for this online version.

Interpretation should stay contextual. Current circumstances, memory, self-awareness, and the wish to present oneself favorably can influence self-report. The bands describe reported emotional intensity within this questionnaire, not clinical thresholds or a diagnosis.

Author: Carroll E. Izard

Literature:

Izard, C. E., Dougherty, F. E., Bloxom, B. M., & Kotsch, W. E. (1974). The Differential Emotions Scale: A method of measuring the subjective experience of discrete emotions. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
Boyle, G. J. (1984). Reliability and validity of Izard's differential emotions scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 5(6), 747-750. 10.1016/0191-8869(84)90124-7
Boyle, G. J. (1986). Higher-order factors in the differential emotions scale (DES-III). Personality and Individual Differences, 7(3), 305-310. 10.1016/0191-8869(86)90005-X
Izard, C. E. (1977). Human emotions. Plenum Press. 10.1007/978-1-4899-2209-0

Updated: 2025-10-02