Discussion Questions:
Heine dedicated an entire chapter to exploring emotions across cultures. This is your chance to build on that research in discussion.
- Find a scholarly article on a Nonwestern culture related to the expression of emotion.
- Discuss the differences you note between your own culture and the culture in the article regarding the expression of emotion.
- How would this information benefit you if you were working, living or just interacting with a person from that particular country?
Course Reading on Exploring Emotions and expression across cultures:
Expressions and Interpretations of Emotion
While emotions are a universal human experience, the way they are expressed and interpreted can vary across cultures. There are basic emotions that are recognized and expressed in similar ways across cultures, such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. However, cultural norms, values, and beliefs can influence how these emotions are expressed and perceived by others. For example, in America, it is encouraged and deemed appropriate to express emotions openly and directly, while in Japan, individuals are expected to suppress or conceal certain emotions. Cultural context also influences how emotions are interpreted. While a smile can indicate happiness or friendliness in one culture, it may be interpreted as insincere or inappropriate in another.
Display Rules
Display rules refer to these culturally specific norms and guidelines that dictate how emotions should be expressed, managed, and interpreted in social interactions. These rules vary across cultures and often influence how individuals express, interpret, and regulate their own emotions, as well as how their expectations and perceptions about the emotions of others. These cultural display rules can also influence nonverbal behaviors associated with emotion, such as facial expression, body language, and tone of voice.
Language and Emotion
Language can also have a significant impact on the expression and perception of emotion across cultures. The words we have available to describe our emotions can shape how we experience and perceive them. Different languages may have different words or phrases to describe emotions, which can influence how individuals communicate their feelings. The language used in a particular culture can also influence cultural display rules and norms around emotional expression and regulation. Additionally, language can influence how accurately we recognize and understand the emotions of others, as different cultures may use different facial expressions and body language to express emotions.
