Research article summary (published 30 Jul 2009):

Happiness and unhappiness in east and west: themes and variations.

Full Abstract

Cultural folk models of happiness and unhappiness are likely to have important bearings on social cognition and social behavior. At present, however, little is known about the nature of these models. Here, the authors systematically analyzed American and Japanese participants' spontaneously produced descriptions of the two emotions and observed, as predicted, that whereas Americans associated positive hedonic experience of happiness with personal achievement, Japanese associated it with social harmony. Furthermore, Japanese were more likely than Americans to mention both social disruption and transcendental reappraisal as features of happiness. As also predicted, unlike happiness, descriptions of unhappiness included various culture-specific coping actions: Whereas Americans focused on externalizing behavior (e.g., anger and aggression), Japanese highlighted transcendental reappraisal and self-improvement. Implications for research on culture and emotion are discussed. 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Author information

Author/s: Uchida, Yukiko (Y); Kitayama, Shinobu (S);

Affiliation: Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. yukiko(-atsign-)educ.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Grants: 1 R01 AG029509-01A2 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Emotion (Washington, D.C.) (Emotion), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 9 (issue 4) : pp 441-56

Dates: Created 2009/08/05; Completed 2009/09/28;

PMID: 19653765, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/28/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Achievement Adaptation, Psychological Adolescent Cross-Cultural Comparison Emotions Happiness Humans Internal-External Control

Internal-External Control Japan Self Efficacy Social Behavior Social Values - ethnology Students - psychology United States Young Adult

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