Circumplex model

A circumplex model is a structured way of mapping emotions, behaviours or traits across a circular spectrum, showing how different states relate, contrast or move between one another. It turns complex human experience into a visual, interpretable pattern that highlights intensity, direction and connection.

We use the circumplex model to help agentic apps understand human signals with more nuance. Instead of treating emotions or behavioural cues as isolated labels, the model shows how states shift, cluster or evolve over time. This gives apps a more accurate sense of tone, engagement and emotional context, allowing them to respond more thoughtfully inside workflows such as support, customer success or team collaboration.

Your interactions become more human and more aligned to customer or employee states. Apps can detect tension, enthusiasm or disengagement and adapt actions to improve outcomes — whether that means escalating an issue, softening a response or recognising when someone needs closer attention.

You’ll see the circumplex model at work in experiences like:

• A support app detecting frustration and adjusting its escalation path
• A customer success app identifying churn risk based on emotional tone
• Internal workflows adjusting communication style based on sentiment shifts

The circumplex model helps your agentic apps understand emotional context, making your business more responsive, empathetic and effective.