How we express positive emotions through our voice, but without words

People can produce a variety of sounds with their voice when they experience emotions like amusement, pleasure, surprise, or relief, without using words. VU social psychologist Roza Kamiloglu investigated which positive emotions people convey through these sounds and whether listeners genuinely understand them. Her research was recently featured in interviews by Dutch news media Het Parool and New Scientist. Here is a brief overview of her work in the interviews: Negative vs. Positive Emotions. People often recognize negative emotions from others' expressions instantly. There has been extensive research in the past on non-verbal sounds linked to negative emotions, such as anger, sadness, or fear.