Affect is the external expression of which of the following?

• A. Internal mood
• B. External facial cues only
• C. Emotional state
• D. Behavior

Answer: (C)

Affect is the outward display of emotion that others observe. It reflects the person’s emotional state as it is shown through facial expressions, voice, posture, and gestures. That makes the best answer emotional state, because affect represents how emotions are expressed to the outside world, not just what someone feels internally.

It’s not limited to facial cues alone, since affect includes voice and body language as well. It isn’t the internal mood, which is the person’s internal, subjective emotional state, and it isn’t their behavior, which concerns actions rather than the visible emotional display itself.