How did I become the person I am becoming today?
Key Integrative Theme: Psychological, biological, social, and cultural factors influence behavior and mental processes.
Research Story: Interdependence of Emotion
Imagine you’re at a party. You feel happy, but why? The answer might depend on biological factors. What is happening in the brain with happy emotions? Neurotransmitters are released and we experience joy. This could feel like an unsatisfying explanation if your happiness is due to a personal achievement, or perhaps sharing a joyful moment with friends. The answer could also depend on your cultural background.
In their work, psychologists Uchida, Nakayama, and Bowen found that people from different cultures have distinct theories and perceptions about emotions. In “independent” cultures, like many Western societies, emotions are often seen as purely individual, personal experiences. You’re happy because you got an A on your exam, or anxious because you’re worried about your future.[1]
In contrast, in “interdependent” cultures, common in East Asia, emotions are viewed as inherently social. Your happiness at a party is not just about you. Instead, the emotions you may feel are about the connections you are making and the shared experience with others.
This idea, called the Interdependence of Emotion (IOE), also affects how people perceive and express emotions. For instance, during interviews about their achievements, Japanese Olympic athletes talked about emotions mostly in relation to their teammates and supporters, while North American athletes focused on personal achievements. This example of differences between interdependent and independent cultures highlights how emotions are processed differently among cultures.
This cultural lens can even affect how we interpret others’ emotions. In one study, Japanese participants were more likely than Canadians to consider the expressions of people surrounding a target individual when judging that person’s emotional state.[2]
Cultural interdependence primes a person to take into account context, situations, and interpersonal relationships to influence emotions, while cultural independence promotes a worldview where people, situations, and emotions are not as interconnected. As a result, individuals from independent cultures tend to be more individualistic in their emotions and less attuned to the emotions of others.
Understanding these cultural differences in emotional perception is not just confined to academic papers or classrooms. How people understand and perceive others’ emotional states have real-world implications. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, cultures with an interdependent perspective might have been more motivated by empathy and social responsibility when adhering to public health guidelines.[3] In contrast, communities with an independent worldview were less likely to comply with public health guidelines and addressed the pandemic less effectively. The United States’ struc