Culture and Emotion [Instructor Name] [Class Section Number]

Warm-up Activity Koko the gorilla and her kitten Do you need to be human to have emotions?

Overview What Are Emotions? Historical Background Current Research and Theory Importance of Similarities and Differences Learning Appropriate Emotional Expression

What Are Emotions?

Are emotions the same across cultures? What Are Emotions?

Emotion is shared and different. How different? Increasing importance - multicultural societies & inter-connected world What Are Emotions?

Overview What Are Emotions? Historical Background Current Research and Theory Importance of Similarities and Differences Learning Appropriate Emotional Expression

Historical Background Universalists  All cultures share common primordial ancestor  Emotions are the same Constructivists  Humans have adapted to different environments  Emotions evolved too  Cultural ideas and practices are all-encompassing

Historical Background Studies by Paul Ekman (1970s)  Matching emotions  Some variability  Cultural causes –  “Display rules”

Overview What Are Emotions? Historical Background Current Research and Theory Importance of Similarities and Differences Learning Appropriate Emotional Expression

Current Research and Theory North American Smile: greater frequency, greater intensity East Asian Smile: lower frequency, lower intensity

Current Research and Theory  Independent self  High arousal state  Enthusiastic North AmericanEast Asian  Interdependent self  Low arousal state  Peaceful

Current Research and Theory Ideal Affect N. America  high arousal positive East Asia  low arousal positive

Current Research and Theory Prefer more arousing leisure activities Prefer calmer leisure activities North AmericanEast Asian

Current Research and Theory  Feel good after positive event  “Mixed” feelings after positive event North AmericanEast Asian

Current Research and Theory  Emotional suppression leads to more depression  Emotional suppression not associated with depression North American East Asian

Current Research and Theory - Similarities Similar physiological response after positive & negative events Positive emotions after positive events

Current Research and Theory - Similarities Self esteem & relationship harmony emphasized Self Esteem Self Esteem Relationship Harmony Relationship Harmony Self Esteem Self Esteem Relationship Harmony Relationship Harmony European-American/Individualistic Hong Kong Chinese/Collectivist But not in equal proportion

Overview What Are Emotions? Historical Background Current Research and Theory Importance of Similarities and Differences Learning Appropriate Emotional Expression

Importance of Similarities and Differences in Emotion Understanding Different ways to well-being Similarities between species What are the similarities between elephants and humans?

Overview What Are Emotions? Historical Background Current Research and Theory Importance of Similarities and Differences Learning Appropriate Emotional Expression

Learning Appropriate Cultural Emotional Expression Children’s Storybooks Genetic Differences < Value Difference Models of Self

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