Norms for experiencing emotions in different cultures: inter- and intranational differences

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cross-cultural psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Emotional experiences are shaped by cultural norms.
• Understanding these norms is crucial for cross-cultural psychology.
• Previous research suggests differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze within- and between-nations differences in emotional norms.
• To investigate the universality and cultural specificity of emotion norms.
• To examine the relationship between emotional norms and actual emotional experiences across cultures.

Main Methods:

• Cross-cultural study with 1,846 respondents from the United States, Australia (individualistic), China, and Taiwan (collectivistic).
• Multigroup latent class analysis to identify patterns in emotional norms.
• Comparison of norms and reported emotional experiences between and within nations.

Main Results:

• Identified both universal and culture-specific norms for experiencing emotions.
• Found significant intranational variability in affect norms, especially in collectivistic nations.
• Individualistic nations showed greater uniformity in norms, particularly for pleasant affect.
• Strongest differences in norms between individualistic and collectivistic nations were observed for self-reflective emotions (e.g., pride, guilt).
• Emotional norms were related to emotional experiences within nations.
• Significant national differences in emotional experiences persisted even when norms were controlled.

Conclusions:

• Emotional norms exhibit both universal and culture-specific characteristics.
• Cultural dimensions (individualism vs. collectivism) significantly influence emotional norms and experiences.
• Intranational diversity in emotional norms is a key finding, particularly in collectivistic societies.
• Future research should explore the mechanisms behind these cross-cultural differences in emotional experience and norms.