Is Societal Progress Muting the Expressivity of Negative Emotions? Evidence from Two Cross-national Studies

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cris.lastimport.scopus2026-09-17T03:10:17Z
dc.abstract.enContemporary theories of emotion emphasize the dual role of emotions as both personal experiences and communicative signals during social interactions. However, the impact of macro-level societal structures on emotional expression remains underexplored. This study investigates the expression-experience discrepancy for self-reported emotions across nations, focusing on how societal development relates to this discrepancy, which captures expressivity. Using meta-analysis and multilevel modeling with a multinational sample (Nsample = 12,549, knation = 48; Study 1), we assessed the directions and variabilities in the frequency of expression of both positive and negative emotions, relative to the frequency of experiencing them. Negative emotions were more likely to be under-expressed. Further analyses revealed that societal trust, system quality and fairness, and the human development index significantly predicted the size of these discrepancies. Surprisingly, these effects were not associated with traditional cultural dimensions such as individualism versus collectivism, providing new insights into the social functionality of emotions from a macro perspective. These findings were replicated in an extended multinational sample (Nsample = 19,690, knation = 65; Study 2). Our findings highlight the importance of considering structural and societal factors in emotion research and provide a foundation for future explorations into the relations between cultural contexts and the expression of emotions.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.contributor.authorYeung, June Chun
dc.contributor.authorMiu-Chi Lun, Vivian
dc.contributor.authorMan Wai Li, Liman
dc.contributor.authorBond, Michael Harris
dc.contributor.authorJoshanloo, Mohsen
dc.contributor.authorGórski, Maciej R.
dc.contributor.authorKalinowski, Miłosz
dc.contributor.authorWai Lan Yeung, Victoria
dc.contributor.authorKenson Yau, Eric
dc.contributor.authorHussain, M. Azhar
dc.contributor.authorPoláčková Šolcová, Iva
dc.contributor.authorHaas, Brian W.
dc.contributor.authorGuemaz, Farida
dc.contributor.authorBoussena, Mahmoud
dc.contributor.authorSánchez-Rodríguez, Ángel
dc.contributor.authorIter, Nuha
dc.contributor.authorVlasenko, Olha
dc.contributor.authorAminnuddin, Nur Amali
dc.contributor.authorIşık, İdil
dc.contributor.authorBarry,Oumar
dc.contributor.authorFülöp, Márta
dc.contributor.authorIgbokwe, David
dc.contributor.authorAdamovic, Mladen
dc.contributor.authorGarðarsdóttir, Ragna Benedikta
dc.contributor.authorSoboleva, Natalia
dc.contributor.authorTeyssier, Julien
dc.contributor.authorGlückstad, Fumiko Kano
dc.contributor.authorPark, Joonha
dc.contributor.authorZelenski, John
dc.contributor.authorYakhlef, Belkacem
dc.contributor.authorXing, Cai
dc.contributor.authorWasiel, Arkadiusz
dc.contributor.authorVauclair, Christin-Melanie
dc.contributor.authorvan Tilburg, Wijnand
dc.contributor.authorvan Osch, Yvette
dc.contributor.authorUchida, Yukiko
dc.contributor.authorTurjačanin, Vladimir
dc.contributor.authorKieu, Tra Thi Thanh
dc.contributor.authorTorres, Claudio
dc.contributor.authorSun, Chien-Ru
dc.contributor.authorStoyanova, Stanislava
dc.contributor.authorStogianni, Maria
dc.contributor.authorSokolov, Boris
dc.contributor.authorSobhie, Rosita
dc.contributor.authorSirlopú, David
dc.contributor.authorSerdarevich, Ursula
dc.contributor.authorSelim, Heyla
dc.contributor.authorSchwarz, Beate
dc.contributor.authorSargautytė, Rūta
dc.contributor.authorSamekin, Adil
dc.contributor.authorRøysamb, Espen
dc.contributor.authorRomashov, Vladyslav
dc.contributor.authorRocha, Ana Maria
dc.contributor.authorRizwan, Muhammad
dc.contributor.authorRabby, Reza-A
dc.contributor.authorPavlović, Zoran
dc.contributor.authorPavlopoulos, Vassilis
dc.contributor.authorPalikot, Ewa
dc.contributor.authorOlechowski, Mateusz
dc.contributor.authorOkvitawanli, Ayu
dc.contributor.authorOchoa, Danielle
dc.contributor.authorNadi, Azar
dc.contributor.authorNader, Martin
dc.contributor.authorMyślińska-Szarek, Katarzyna
dc.contributor.authorMustaffa, Nur Fariza
dc.contributor.authorMurdock, Elke
dc.contributor.authorMosca, Oriana
dc.contributor.authorMosanya, Magdalena
dc.contributor.authorMokadem, Fatma
dc.contributor.authorMohorić, Tamara
dc.contributor.authorMohammed, Linda
dc.contributor.authorMaricchiolo, Fridanna
dc.contributor.authorMalyonova, Arina
dc.contributor.authorMalyonov, Alexander
dc.contributor.authorŁużniak-Piecha, Magdalena
dc.contributor.authorLee, J. Hannah
dc.contributor.authorKwiatkowska, Anna
dc.contributor.authorKronberger, Nicole
dc.contributor.authorKostoula, Olga
dc.contributor.authorKosiarczyk, Aleksandra
dc.contributor.authorKocimska-Bortnowska, Agata
dc.contributor.authorKlůzová Kračmárová, Lucie
dc.contributor.authorKazimzade, Elmina
dc.contributor.authorKascakova, Natalia
dc.contributor.authorIqbal, Naved
dc.contributor.authorIgou, Eric Raymond
dc.contributor.authorHenk, Katharina
dc.contributor.authorGavreliuc, Alin
dc.contributor.authorGamsakhurdia, Vladimer
dc.contributor.authorEsteves, Carla Sofia
dc.contributor.authorEspinosa, Agustin
dc.contributor.authorDomínguez Espinosa, Alejandra
dc.contributor.authorDenoux, Patrick
dc.contributor.authorBoer, Diana
dc.contributor.authorBarrientos Marroquin, Pablo Eduardo
dc.contributor.authorBaltin, Arno
dc.contributor.authorBakyono-Nabaloum, Rasmata
dc.contributor.authorArévalo Mira, Douglas Marlon
dc.contributor.authorAppoh, Lily
dc.contributor.authorAndrade, Laura
dc.contributor.authorAlmakaeva, Anna
dc.contributor.authorAlbert, Isabelle
dc.contributor.authorAl-Zoubi, Marwan
dc.contributor.authorAkotia, Charity
dc.contributor.authorAkello, Grace
dc.contributor.authorKryś, Kuba
dc.date.access2026-08-31
dc.date.accessioned2026-09-16T09:58:05Z
dc.date.available2026-09-16T09:58:05Z
dc.description.abstract<jats:p> Contemporary theories of emotion emphasize the dual role of emotions as both personal experiences and communicative signals during social interactions. However, the impact of macro-level societal structures on emotional expression remains underexplored. This study investigates the expression-experience discrepancy for self-reported emotions across nations, focusing on how societal development relates to this discrepancy, which captures expressivity. Using meta-analysis and multilevel modeling with a multinational sample ( <jats:italic toggle="yes">N</jats:italic> <jats:sub>sample</jats:sub> = 12,549, <jats:italic toggle="yes">k</jats:italic> <jats:sub>nation</jats:sub> = 48; Study 1), we assessed the directions and variabilities in the frequency of expression of both positive and negative emotions, relative to the frequency of experiencing them. Negative emotions were more likely to be under-expressed. Further analyses revealed that societal trust, system quality and fairness, and the human development index significantly predicted the size of these discrepancies. Surprisingly, these effects were not associated with traditional cultural dimensions such as individualism versus collectivism, providing new insights into the social functionality of emotions from a macro perspective. These findings were replicated in an extended multinational sample ( <jats:italic toggle="yes">N</jats:italic> <jats:sub>sample</jats:sub> = 19,690, <jats:italic toggle="yes">k</jats:italic> <jats:sub>nation</jats:sub> = 65; Study 2). Our findings highlight the importance of considering structural and societal factors in emotion research and provide a foundation for future explorations into the relations between cultural contexts and the expression of emotions. </jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimebefore_publication
dc.description.physical1-30
dc.description.sdgNoSDGsAreRelevantForThisPublication
dc.description.versionfinal_author
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/00220221261471052
dc.identifier.eissn1552-5422
dc.identifier.issn0022-0221
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/2527
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00220221261471052
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY-NC
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOTHER
dc.subject.enemotional expression
dc.subject.enemotional experience
dc.subject.ensocial norms
dc.subject.ensocietal development
dc.subject.enculture
dc.swps.sciencecloudnosend
dc.titleIs Societal Progress Muting the Expressivity of Negative Emotions? Evidence from Two Cross-national Studies
dc.title.journalJournal of Cross-Cultural Psychology
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle