

More simply stated, it refers to how a person’s facial expression reveals their feelings.įor example, a person who has just won the lottery will have a positive, joyful affect-with a smile that reaches their eyes.Ī person who is depressed or lonely may have a more unhappy or flat affect, with empty eyes and a downturned mouth.

In that form, it refers to the expression or observation of an emotional response.

Affect As a NounĪffect can be used as a noun. To use any of these words correctly, we need to understand what each of the forms means and does, and their appropriate contexts. They can also be nouns, and this changes their meaning.īefore we look into the past tense uses of the verb forms, we should take a moment to become affect/effect experts.
