Integrating Cultural Expression with Universal Emotions: How Cultural Differences in Expression Do Not Refute the Universal Hypothesis

Abstract

The universal hypothesis of emotions argues that due to the functionality that emotions and their behavioural components provide, they show similar patterns across all cultures. Though there is substantive evidence supporting this theory, there are several cases were emotional expression does differ between cultures. This paper argues that such differences in expression are not necessarily evidence against the universal hypothesis as they are not due to innate biological differences in the emotional experience. Instead, differences in expression are the result of culture-specific learning and act to modify the expression of emotion to meet social norms. Since differences in expression are not innate, individuals are capable of experiencing emotions in an evolutionary adaptive way, regardless of culture. This has implications for better understanding individuals across cultures and why some individuals may act differently than others, despite having a similar emotional experience.