Development of emotions as organized by culture

Abstract

Emotions can be seen as both biologically prepared and socio-culturally shaped. Evidence on cultural differences in manifestations of emotion abound; however, the role of culture in emotion development has not yet been systematically studied and integrated in a theory on the socialization of emotions. Emotion development includes the understanding of emotions and their meaning, appraisal of emotion-evoking situations, knowledge of appropriate emotion expression, and regulation of emotions. Emotion development and emotion regulation are bi-directionally influential through the development of links between emotions and cognition, and the emerging coherent patterns of emotions, cognitions, and regulatory behavior (Saarni, 1999). Research on the socialization and development of emotions and regulation usually focuses on parenting (warmth, sensitivity) and family (e.g., emotional expressivity) (e.g., Eisenberg & Fabes, 1992; Saarni, 1999) and is restricted to European-American samples.