Question

3. What are some emotions that are recognized cross-culturally?

Answer 1

Emotions refer to states of feeling which influence cognition and behavior. Emotions are necessary for communication with others, decision making like fight or flight, develop relationship, etc. Although there are some cultural influences on emotional expression, emotions considered as universal phenomena. Some emotions differ from culture to culture as perception and reaction to the event may have cultural influences.

Six basic emotions like anger, fear, happiness, sadness, disgust, and surprise are recognized across cultures in similarly (Darwin, 1872). The appraisal of situation and reaction pattern may get influenced by cultural factors ensuring behavior in-line with norms of the society or culture. Example: Anger may be expressed in polite way in some culture and with aggression in other, but anger can be recognized even through nonverbal communication and facial changes in any culture.

Let us consider these 6 basic emotions in detail:

1. Anger: This emotion can be recognized through facial changes, body language, verbal communication, etc. Even though an individual is not expressing anger through body language or verbal communication, anger can be recognized by change in size of lids and lashes, color of facial skin, breathing pattern, etc.

2. Fear: This emotion can be recognized through change in breathing pattern, fight or flight responses, change in heart rate, muscular changes, etc. This is universal phenomena where an individual can try to hide emotion of fear but it can be recognized by changes in vital signs, tensed nerves, readiness to fight or flight, etc.

3. Happiness: When an individual is feeling happy, the bodily changes like relaxed muscle tone and enlarged oral orifice can be noticed. Individual may look more energetic and laughter can be observed. Even though, happiness is not expressed it can be recognized by above physical and behavioral changes across all cultures.

4. Sadness. This emotion can be recognized by observing bodily changes like tears in eyes, contraction of facial muscles, etc. Loss of appetite and interest in activities can be observed. These changes indicate individual's feeling of low mood or sadness in any culture and thus sadness can be recognized universally across cultures.

5. Disgust. This emotional state can be recognized by repelling behaviors of an individual, although verbally not communicated about disgust.

6. Surprise: This emotion can be recognized by enlargement of eyes and mouth, feeling of perceiving unexpected. Even though this emotion is not expressed, it can be recognized by above physical changes universally across cultures.