Which of the following are common emotions that people experience?

Choosing happy, sad, and angry as common emotions is grounded in the basic framework of emotional experience. These three emotions are considered fundamental because they represent core feelings that most individuals can relate to and identify in their own lives.

Happy reflects a positive, pleasurable emotional state that typically indicates satisfaction or contentment. Sad pertains to a negative emotional state commonly associated with loss or disappointment, while angry relates to feelings of frustration or agitation in response to perceived wrongdoing or injustice. These emotions are not only universally recognized but are also addressed widely in psychological studies and emotional regulation strategies.

The other options, while they do contain emotions, do not capture the same foundational role that happy, sad, and angry play in emotional theory and everyday experience. Excited, anxious, and surprised represent more situational emotions, and while skepticism, passivity, and indifference can be emotional states, they do not have the same immediate recognition or widespread resonance. Finally, curious, guilty, and elated cover a broader range of feelings but might not be experienced as frequently or as universally as the core emotions in option B.