Der Begriff Affekt wird in der Psychologie und Psychiatrie für die beobachtbare Darstellung für die subjektiv wahrgenommene Gefühlslage (Emotionen) genutzt. Typische Beispiele für Affekte sind :

• Traurigkeit, Depression
• Angst
• Freude
• Wut / Ärger

Der Normalbereich von Gefühlausdrücken (Affekten) kann ganz erheblich zwischen verschiedenen Kulturen variieren oder sogar innerhalb einer Gesellschaft und verschiedenen Zeiten. The word Affect is in psychology and psychiatry used to described observable behaviour that represents the expression of a subjectively experienced feeling state (emotion). Common examples of affect are

• sadness,
• fear,
• joy,
• anger.

The normal range of expressed affect varies considerably between different cultures and even within the same culture.

Types of affect include:

• euthymic,
• irritable,
• constricted,
• blunted,
• flat,
• inappropriate,
• labile

Euthymic mood would be considered as the "normal" stable mood without complaints.

Affective Disorders are mental health disorders with observable alteration of affect (mood). This would include Major Depression, Dysthymia / Cyclothymia, Bipolar disorder and Adjustment disorders and a broader category of depressive symptoms, which do not fit in the classical categories of mood disorders (Depressive disorders not otherwise specified).