Heterogeneity of long-history migration explains cultural differences in reports of emotional expressivity and the functions of smiles.

ABSTRACT: A small number of facial expressions may be universal in that they are produced by the same basic affective states and recognized as such throughout the world. However, other aspects of emotionally expressive behavior vary widely across culture. Just why do they vary? We propose that some cultural differences in expressive behavior are determined by historical heterogeneity, or the extent to which a country's present-day population descended from migration from numerous vs. few source countries over a period of 500 y. Our reanalysis of data on cultural rules for displaying emotion from 32 countries [n = 5,340; Matsumoto D, Yoo S, Fontaine J (2008) J Cross Cult Psychol 39(1):55-74] reveals that historical heterogeneity explains substantial, unique variance in the degree to which individuals

SUBMITTER: Rychlowska M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4434713 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature