Sharing and Non‐sharing Happiness: Evidence from Cross‐Cultural Studies in the United States and Japan

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to analyze how individuals feel and express their happiness in shared versus non-shared events. We hypothesized that the Japanese (interdependence-fostering culture), unlike Americans (independencefostering culture), would show higher levels of happiness in shared situations than in non-shared situations. Study 1: participants were asked to describe two types of happy events (shared and non-shared) they had experienced, and then indicate how strongly they had felt and expressed happiness. Results suggest that the Japanese felt and expressed higher degrees of happiness in shared situations than non-shared situations, while Americans did not report this difference. Study 2: participants read the descriptions generated in Study 1 and answered how they would feel and express happiness. Japanese respondents scored higher in feeling and expressing happiness in shared situations than in non-shared situations. Americans showed the same pattern, but with a smaller difference. While the Japanese tend to experience more happiness in shared situations than in non-shared situations, Americans experience happiness similarly in both situations. These results may be related to the function of emotions in each culture.

Do People From Different Cultures Vary in How Much Positive Emotions Resonate in Day-to-Day Social Interactions? Examining the Role of Relational Mobility

“…Prior research on cultural differences suggests that compared with Western cultures which value independence and uniqueness, East Asian cultures value interdependence and social harmony (Kitayama et al, 2022; Markus & Kitayama, 1991). Consistent with the idea that Japanese individuals are more interdependent than European American individuals, Japanese participants reported more intense socially engaging positive emotions including sympathy and friendly feelings compared with European American counterparts (De Almeida et al, 2022; Kitayama et al, 2006). Hence, positivity resonance, similar to socially engaging positive emotions that emphasize interpersonal connections, may occur more frequently in East Asian cultures than in Western cultures.…”

Enhancing Well-being in Nairobi and Wajir Counties through Targeted Interventions: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development in Kenya's Devolved Units

“…This study recognizes happiness as a key goal in line with the 2030 Agenda. It emphasizes the cultural influences, disparities, and challenges in achieving sustainable development [16]. While GDP is a global happiness proxy, alternative indicators such as the GNH Index provide a more nuanced view [17] [18].…”

“…Collaboration among government bodies, NGOs, and local communities becomes more effective and aligned when happiness objectives are explicitly stated, reinforcing a shared commitment to foster well-being and resilience in the face of challenges. This approach aligns with global trends, with countries like Finland, New Zealand, Bhutan, and the UAE explicitly prioritizing happiness in key development documents [14][15][16][17].…”

Interdependence of Emotion: Conceptualization, Evidence, and Social Implications From Cultural Psychology

“…In contexts where agency is understood as more conjoint, situation dependent, or interdependent (e.g., Japanese culture), emotions are understood to be more interdependent. When engagement with other individuals is salient, emotions are more likely to be experienced or expressed strongly (De Almeida et al, 2022), and there is a greater tendency to infer the emotions of other individuals (Uchida et al, 2009). In contrast, in contexts where an individual’s agency is viewed as more disjoint from other people and from context (e.g., North American culture), emotions tend to be understood as less interdependent.…”