CHYS 3P12 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Ifalik, American Anthropologist, Nomothetic
15 May 2018
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CHYS 3P12 Lecture 3
Review:
Evolutionary Theories of Emotions in Childhood & Youth
• Discrete Emotions Theory
• Basic built-in emotions (genetic and universal) and interact with cognition to form "cognitive-
affective structures" but the basic emotions do not change their structure in these processes
• Consciousness is central – emphasizes physiology and facial expression (built on Darwin's work
about the relationship between human and animals emotions) over subjective feeling
• Two claims – the face is:
o Central and has priority over visceral changes because of its speed, visibility and
precision
o Informs the self, not just the others. Feedback of the facial response is the experience of
affect
Question: Does the essential nature of emotions in childhood and youth vary across cultures? Do
emotions in childhood and youth manifest themselves differently across cultural groups?
• An example would be how man are known to not show their emotions. However, are likely to
show more of an emotion of aggression, such as hitting things and getting angry.
• If men tend to show their emotions such as crying towards a female then they tend to be
labeled as weak.
• Through cultural groups, especially individuals who are bisexual and gay they have a harder time
expressing their feelings without being judge
The construction of emotions in the West
• Distrust of emotions
• You are being emotional (meaning irrational)
• Expressions of emotions are obsolete, vestiges of our evolutionary heritage
• Versus
• Emotions as guarantee of authenticity and best guide to someone's true self
• Romanticism – in this era emotions tend to be valued in personal and political life
o In the 19th century it was acceptable to express your emotions
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1755 – people's should just listen to their natural emotions to guide
us to what is right
o Example – Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) has to live alone which developed a lot
of different kinds of emotions
A Cultural Perspective to Emotions of Childhood and Youth
• Catherine Lutz (1988) - American Anthropologist – Research on the island Ifaluk in the Pacific
Ocean
• KER SONG
• KER MEANS HAPPINESS
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
• Sog eas you should justified as beig agry.. ad that this behavior should’t be
allowed
▪ THAT THE EMOTION OF ANGER SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED
• What is culture?
• SOCIETY IS GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN A PARTICULAR PLACE. THROUGH THAT, CULTURE
IS CREATED BY PEOPLE AND INFOLDS THEOUGH SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
• CULTURE INCLUDES; AGE, GENDER, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, ,EHTNICITY
• Emotions are social products (they are biological and sociocultural) and based on cultural
beliefs/values
• Can take any form depending upon socialisation within a particular culture
• How a person appraises a situation is culturally determined
• Emotional differences should be seen at the level of emotional practices
• Cross-cultural research has focused on recognition of emotion – universal
• But, in the strongest sense, basic, core emotions do not exist
• Rather, indefinite number of emotions shaped, molded, constructed within a social system
• Need to contextualize emotions in relation to the "cultural models" in which they occur – to
really understand their development and adaptive functions
Differences in emotion practices
• Cultural models promote events and contexts that elicit certain emotions
• Example:
o Self-construal: independent and interdependent selves
• North Americans promote happiness and may indeed be happier
• Some cultures devalue anger and aggression – because it disrupts social harmony
(Japanese/Tahitians) - THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE
• Amae – Sweet Dependence
o Japanese emotion of independence experienced as a merged togetherness, and comfort
knowing that another person (usually caregiver) completely accepts you
o Co-sleeping and indulgent parenting practices before the age of reason (7rs)
Difference in the significance of events – Affect Evaluation Theory (Jeanne Tsai, 2007)
• Cultural models promote particular interpretations of events and in turn emotions
• In East Asian cultures emotional control is valued (so as not to disrupt social harmony) and
calmness and contentedness is valued
• In Western European cultures that are steeped in the Romantic tradition emotional expression
is valued
• In high honour societies (e.g. Middle Eastern), honour protecting emotions are more valued (e.g.
shame, anger, guilt) and interpersonal violence and suicide are higher
• Christianity – high-arousal, positive emotions are valued ("proud", "glory")
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Feedback of the facial response is the experience of affect. Do emotions in childhood and youth manifest themselves differently across cultural groups: an example would be how man are known to not show their emotions. However, are likely to show more of an emotion of aggression, such as hitting things and getting angry. In the 19th century it was acceptable to express your emotions. Jean-jacques rousseau, 1755 people"s should just listen to their natural emotions to guide us to what is right: example mary shelley"s frankenstein (1818) has to live alone which developed a lot of different kinds of emotions. A cultural perspective to emotions of childhood and youth: catherine lutz (1988) - american anthropologist research on the island ifaluk in the pacific. Japanese emotion of independence experienced as a merged togetherness, and comfort knowing that another person (usually caregiver) completely accepts you: co-sleeping and indulgent parenting practices before the age of reason (7rs)
