Culture and Emotion

Comments

2 responses to “Culture and Emotion”

1. 

   pervin kara

   November 28, 2024

   Hello Yusuf, thank you so much for your comment on the material. I want to start with one little spelling correction, I guess you wanted to say intriguing by saying intiguing. Also in the first paragraph you used ‘’the’’ twice. I really liked your example on the power and how it can be used as a shield for immorality. Even though, I understand your perspective on the Olympics however we may also take individual prides into account even it is Olympics which can also include some individualistic emotional motivation and outcome. It was interesting to see some contradictory findings as you presented. To sum up, I really liked how you summarized the article first and underlined the parts from the chapter that you have found contradictory or resonating with your experiences. Thank you so much for your work, it was really interesting to read your comment!

   Reply
2. 

   yusuf talha bozkurt

   January 9, 2025

   Culture and Emotion (Revised):
   This week’s materials focused on emotions in a cultural context, and I will briefly discuss the parts that interested me the most. The article applied Relational Models Theory, which includes four models: Communal Sharing, Authority Ranking, Equality Matching, and Market Pricing. I found this study intriguing because it provided a framework to explain human relationships under four main constructs. It was simple yet effective. For instance, it demonstrated how humans strongly react to unfairness with anger and how emotions like guilt and shame play significant roles in relationships.
   One fascinating insight was how higher-status individuals breaking rules were seen as wrong but didn’t cause them much shame or guilt—they didn’t seem to care much about the victim’s feelings. On the other hand, lower-status individuals breaking rules was viewed as less wrong but induced more shame and guilt in them. Subordinates, in particular, were highly concerned about their superiors’ anger, illustrating the emotional reactions tied to power differences.
   I could relate this to my experience working as a secretary in a clinic. Sometimes therapists made mistakes that cost me considerable time and effort, yet they rarely seemed stressed or apologetic. In contrast, I was constantly worried about making mistakes and triple-checked everything because even minor errors weren’t tolerated. This demonstrates how morality has power dynamics—those with authority or power can afford to bypass morality more easily. It reminded me of Plato’s quote: “The measure of a man is what he does with power.”
   The textbook also discussed how Japanese athletes’ emotions are more relationship-oriented, while U.S. athletes’ emotions tend to be self-focused. While there may be some truth to this, it might oversimplify the narrative. From my observations of some of the greatest American boxers-like Ray Leonard, Roy Jones, and Evander Holyfield-it’s clear that representing one’s community can be just as important as individual success. Leonard, for example, described winning an Olympic gold medal as his greatest accomplishment, even surpassing his professional career’s wealth and fame. Similarly, Jones and Holyfield, despite their immense professional success, considered not winning Olympic gold their greatest regret. This highlights how communal pride can outweigh individualistic motivations, even in a culture that values individualism.
   Another insight in the textbook was that Westerners focus more on the mouth, while East Asians focus more on the eyes when perceiving emotions. However, this seems to contradict other findings I’ve come across. For example, in China, prolonged eye contact can be seen as disrespectful, and according to Ng, Chung, Tee, and Gabbert (2023), it’s perceived as intimidating in Malaysia.
   One aspect that fascinates me about these discussions is how Turkey doesn’t fit well into the East vs. West comparisons. For instance, the text mentioned that European Americans prefer energetic, excited leaders, which resonates strongly with Turkish politics. Turkish leaders often emphasize charisma, crowd engagement, and strong oratory skills. However, in other contexts, Turkey aligns more with Eastern qualities, such as being collective and interdependent.
   Finally, the chapter noted how East Asians are more comfortable experiencing mixed emotions, as reflected in the Yin-Yang philosophy, which emphasizes the interconnectedness and harmony of opposites.
   Ng, M., Chung, K. L., Tee, E., & Gabbert, F. (2023). Rapport in a non-WEIRD multicultural society: A qualitative analysis in Southeast Asia. Investigative Interviewing: Research & Practice, 13(1), 19-37.

   Reply