Societal emotional environments and cross-cultural differences in life satisfaction: A forty-nine country study

Kuba Krys; June Chun Yeung; Colin A. Capaldi; Vivian Miu Chi Lun; Claudio Torres; Wijnand A.P. van Tilburg; Michael Harris Bond; John M. Zelenski; Brian W. Haas; Joonha Park; Fridanna Maricchiolo; Christin Melanie Vauclair; Aleksandra Kosiarczyk; Agata Kocimska-Zych; Anna Kwiatkowska; Mladen Adamovic; Vassilis Pavlopoulos; Márta Fülöp; David Sirlopu; Ayu Okvitawanli; Diana Boer; Julien Teyssier; Arina Malyonova; Alin Gavreliuc; Yukiko Uchida; Ursula Serdarevich; Charity Akotia; Lily Appoh; Arévalo Mira, D.M; Arno Baltin; Patrick Denoux; Alejandra Dominguez-Espinosa; Carla Sofia Esteves; Vladimer Gamsakhurdia; Ragna Benedikta Garðarsdóttir; David O. Igbokwe; Eric R. Igou; İdil Işık; Natalia Kascakova; Lucie Klůzová Kračmárová; Nicole Kronberger; J. Hannah Lee; Xinhui Liu; Pablo Eduardo Barrientos; Tamara Mohorić; Nur Fariza Mustaffa; Oriana Mosca; Martin Nader; Azar Nadi; Yvette van Osch; Zoran Pavlović; Iva Poláčková Šolcová; Muhammad Rizwan; Vladyslav Romashov; Espen Røysamb; Ruta Sargautyte; Beate Schwarz; Lenka Selecká; Heyla A. Selim; Maria Stogianni; Chien Ru Sun; Cai Xing; Vivian L. Vignoles; D.M. Arévalo Mira

doi:10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332

Societal emotional environments and cross-cultural differences in life satisfaction: A forty-nine country study

Kuba Krys
, June Chun Yeung
, Colin A. Capaldi
, Vivian Miu Chi Lun
, Claudio Torres
, Wijnand A.P. van Tilburg
, Michael Harris Bond
, John M. Zelenski
, Brian W. Haas
, Joonha Park
, Fridanna Maricchiolo
, Christin Melanie Vauclair
, Aleksandra Kosiarczyk
, Agata Kocimska-Zych
, Anna Kwiatkowska
, Mladen Adamovic
, Vassilis Pavlopoulos
, Márta Fülöp
, David Sirlopu
, Ayu Okvitawanli

Diana Boer, Julien Teyssier, Arina Malyonova, Alin Gavreliuc, Yukiko Uchida, Ursula Serdarevich, Charity Akotia, Lily Appoh, Arévalo Mira, D.M, Arno Baltin, Patrick Denoux, Alejandra Dominguez-Espinosa, Carla Sofia Esteves, Vladimer Gamsakhurdia, Ragna Benedikta Garðarsdóttir, David O. Igbokwe, Eric R. Igou, İdil Işık, Natalia Kascakova, Lucie Klůzová Kračmárová, Nicole Kronberger, J. Hannah Lee, Xinhui Liu, Pablo Eduardo Barrientos, Tamara Mohorić, Nur Fariza Mustaffa, Oriana Mosca, Martin Nader, Azar Nadi, Yvette van Osch, Zoran Pavlović, Iva Poláčková Šolcová, Muhammad Rizwan, Vladyslav Romashov, Espen Røysamb, Ruta Sargautyte, Beate Schwarz, Lenka Selecká, Heyla A. Selim, Maria Stogianni, Chien Ru Sun, Cai Xing, Vivian L. Vignoles, D.M. Arévalo Mira

Faculty of Psychology

University of Iceland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce the concept of ‘societal emotional environment’: the emotional climate of a society (operationalized as the degree to which positive and negative emotions are expressed in a society). Using data collected from 12,888 participants across 49 countries, we show how societal emotional environments vary across countries and cultural clusters, and we consider the potential importance of these differences for well-being. Multilevel analyses supported a ‘double-edged sword’ model of negative emotion expression, where expression of negative emotions predicted higher life satisfaction for the expresser but lower life satisfaction for society. In contrast, partial support was found for higher societal life satisfaction in positive societal emotional environments. Our study highlights the potential utility and importance of distinguishing between positive and negative emotion expression, and adopting both individual and societal perspectives in well-being research. Individual pathways to happiness may not necessarily promote the happiness of others.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	117-130
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Positive Psychology
Volume	17
Issue number	1
Early online date	30 Jun 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332
Publication status	Published - 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: This work was supported by the Polish National Science Centre under grant 2016/23/D/HS6/02946; the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science under grants P17806 and 17F17806; the Hungarian OTKA under grant K-111 789; the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development–CNPq under grant 301298/2018-1; the Czech Science Foundation CSF under grant 20-08583S; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant 71873133; and the Department of Educational Studies, University of Roma Tre under biannual Grant DSF 2017-2018. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13 Climate Action

Other keywords

Latin America
Societal emotional environment
culture
emotion expression
emotion regulation
life satisfaction
societal well-being

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10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332

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Cite this

Krys, K., Yeung, J. C., Capaldi, C. A., Lun, V. M. C., Torres, C., van Tilburg, W. A. P., Bond, M. H., Zelenski, J. M., Haas, B. W., Park, J., Maricchiolo, F., Vauclair, C. M., Kosiarczyk, A., Kocimska-Zych, A., Kwiatkowska, A., Adamovic, M., Pavlopoulos, V., Fülöp, M., Sirlopu, D., ... Arévalo Mira, D. M. (2022). Societal emotional environments and cross-cultural differences in life satisfaction: A forty-nine country study. Journal of Positive Psychology, 17(1), 117-130. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332

@article{5f5b93c19d8d408b8a118a4f18755293,

title = "Societal emotional environments and cross-cultural differences in life satisfaction: A forty-nine country study",

abstract = "In this paper, we introduce the concept of {\textquoteleft}societal emotional environment{\textquoteright}: the emotional climate of a society (operationalized as the degree to which positive and negative emotions are expressed in a society). Using data collected from 12,888 participants across 49 countries, we show how societal emotional environments vary across countries and cultural clusters, and we consider the potential importance of these differences for well-being. Multilevel analyses supported a {\textquoteleft}double-edged sword{\textquoteright} model of negative emotion expression, where expression of negative emotions predicted higher life satisfaction for the expresser but lower life satisfaction for society. In contrast, partial support was found for higher societal life satisfaction in positive societal emotional environments. Our study highlights the potential utility and importance of distinguishing between positive and negative emotion expression, and adopting both individual and societal perspectives in well-being research. Individual pathways to happiness may not necessarily promote the happiness of others.",

keywords = "Latin America, Societal emotional environment, culture, emotion expression, emotion regulation, life satisfaction, societal well-being",

author = "Kuba Krys and Yeung, \{June Chun\} and Capaldi, \{Colin A.\} and Lun, \{Vivian Miu Chi\} and Claudio Torres and \{van Tilburg\}, \{Wijnand A.P.\} and Bond, \{Michael Harris\} and Zelenski, \{John M.\} and Haas, \{Brian W.\} and Joonha Park and Fridanna Maricchiolo and Vauclair, \{Christin Melanie\} and Aleksandra Kosiarczyk and Agata Kocimska-Zych and Anna Kwiatkowska and Mladen Adamovic and Vassilis Pavlopoulos and M{\'a}rta F{\"u}l{\"o}p and David Sirlopu and Ayu Okvitawanli and Diana Boer and Julien Teyssier and Arina Malyonova and Alin Gavreliuc and Yukiko Uchida and Ursula Serdarevich and Charity Akotia and Lily Appoh and \{Mira, D.M\}, Ar{\'e}valo and Arno Baltin and Patrick Denoux and Alejandra Dominguez-Espinosa and Esteves, \{Carla Sofia\} and Vladimer Gamsakhurdia and Gar{\dh}arsd{\'o}ttir, \{Ragna Benedikta\} and Igbokwe, \{David O.\} and Igou, \{Eric R.\} and İdil I{\c s}ık and Natalia Kascakova and \{Klůzov{\'a} Kra{\v c}m{\'a}rov{\'a}\}, Lucie and Nicole Kronberger and Lee, \{J. Hannah\} and Xinhui Liu and Barrientos, \{Pablo Eduardo\} and Tamara Mohori{\'c} and Mustaffa, \{Nur Fariza\} and Oriana Mosca and Martin Nader and Azar Nadi and \{van Osch\}, Yvette and Zoran Pavlovi{\'c} and \{Pol{\'a}{\v c}kov{\'a} {\v S}olcov{\'a}\}, Iva and Muhammad Rizwan and Vladyslav Romashov and Espen R{\o}ysamb and Ruta Sargautyte and Beate Schwarz and Lenka Seleck{\'a} and Selim, \{Heyla A.\} and Maria Stogianni and Sun, \{Chien Ru\} and Cai Xing and Vignoles, \{Vivian L.\} and \{Ar{\'e}valo Mira\}, D.M.",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Polish National Science Centre under grant 2016/23/D/HS6/02946; the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science under grants P17806 and 17F17806; the Hungarian OTKA under grant K-111 789; the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development–CNPq under grant 301298/2018-1; the Czech Science Foundation CSF under grant 20-08583S; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant 71873133; and the Department of Educational Studies, University of Roma Tre under biannual Grant DSF 2017-2018. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor \& Francis Group.",

year = "2022",

doi = "10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

pages = "117--130",

journal = "Journal of Positive Psychology",

issn = "1743-9760",

publisher = "Routledge",

number = "1",

}

Krys, K, Yeung, JC, Capaldi, CA, Lun, VMC, Torres, C, van Tilburg, WAP, Bond, MH, Zelenski, JM, Haas, BW, Park, J, Maricchiolo, F, Vauclair, CM, Kosiarczyk, A, Kocimska-Zych, A, Kwiatkowska, A, Adamovic, M, Pavlopoulos, V, Fülöp, M, Sirlopu, D, Okvitawanli, A, Boer, D, Teyssier, J, Malyonova, A, Gavreliuc, A, Uchida, Y, Serdarevich, U, Akotia, C, Appoh, L, Mira, D.M, A, Baltin, A, Denoux, P, Dominguez-Espinosa, A, Esteves, CS, Gamsakhurdia, V, Garðarsdóttir, RB, Igbokwe, DO, Igou, ER, Işık, İ, Kascakova, N, Klůzová Kračmárová, L, Kronberger, N, Lee, JH, Liu, X, Barrientos, PE, Mohorić, T, Mustaffa, NF, Mosca, O, Nader, M, Nadi, A, van Osch, Y, Pavlović, Z, Poláčková Šolcová, I, Rizwan, M, Romashov, V, Røysamb, E, Sargautyte, R, Schwarz, B, Selecká, L, Selim, HA, Stogianni, M, Sun, CR, Xing, C, Vignoles, VL & Arévalo Mira, DM 2022, 'Societal emotional environments and cross-cultural differences in life satisfaction: A forty-nine country study', Journal of Positive Psychology, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 117-130. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332

TY - JOUR

T1 - Societal emotional environments and cross-cultural differences in life satisfaction

T2 - A forty-nine country study

AU - Krys, Kuba

AU - Yeung, June Chun

AU - Capaldi, Colin A.

AU - Lun, Vivian Miu Chi

AU - Torres, Claudio

AU - van Tilburg, Wijnand A.P.

AU - Bond, Michael Harris

AU - Zelenski, John M.

AU - Haas, Brian W.

AU - Park, Joonha

AU - Maricchiolo, Fridanna

AU - Vauclair, Christin Melanie

AU - Kosiarczyk, Aleksandra

AU - Kocimska-Zych, Agata

AU - Kwiatkowska, Anna

AU - Adamovic, Mladen

AU - Pavlopoulos, Vassilis

AU - Fülöp, Márta

AU - Sirlopu, David

AU - Okvitawanli, Ayu

AU - Boer, Diana

AU - Teyssier, Julien

AU - Malyonova, Arina

AU - Gavreliuc, Alin

AU - Uchida, Yukiko

AU - Serdarevich, Ursula

AU - Akotia, Charity

AU - Appoh, Lily

AU - Mira, D.M, Arévalo

AU - Baltin, Arno

AU - Denoux, Patrick

AU - Dominguez-Espinosa, Alejandra

AU - Esteves, Carla Sofia

AU - Gamsakhurdia, Vladimer

AU - Garðarsdóttir, Ragna Benedikta

AU - Igbokwe, David O.

AU - Igou, Eric R.

AU - Işık, İdil

AU - Kascakova, Natalia

AU - Klůzová Kračmárová, Lucie

AU - Kronberger, Nicole

AU - Lee, J. Hannah

AU - Liu, Xinhui

AU - Barrientos, Pablo Eduardo

AU - Mohorić, Tamara

AU - Mustaffa, Nur Fariza

AU - Mosca, Oriana

AU - Nader, Martin

AU - Nadi, Azar

AU - van Osch, Yvette

AU - Pavlović, Zoran

AU - Poláčková Šolcová, Iva

AU - Rizwan, Muhammad

AU - Romashov, Vladyslav

AU - Røysamb, Espen

AU - Sargautyte, Ruta

AU - Schwarz, Beate

AU - Selecká, Lenka

AU - Selim, Heyla A.

AU - Stogianni, Maria

AU - Sun, Chien Ru

AU - Xing, Cai

AU - Vignoles, Vivian L.

AU - Arévalo Mira, D.M.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Polish National Science Centre under grant 2016/23/D/HS6/02946; the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science under grants P17806 and 17F17806; the Hungarian OTKA under grant K-111 789; the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development–CNPq under grant 301298/2018-1; the Czech Science Foundation CSF under grant 20-08583S; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant 71873133; and the Department of Educational Studies, University of Roma Tre under biannual Grant DSF 2017-2018. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - In this paper, we introduce the concept of ‘societal emotional environment’: the emotional climate of a society (operationalized as the degree to which positive and negative emotions are expressed in a society). Using data collected from 12,888 participants across 49 countries, we show how societal emotional environments vary across countries and cultural clusters, and we consider the potential importance of these differences for well-being. Multilevel analyses supported a ‘double-edged sword’ model of negative emotion expression, where expression of negative emotions predicted higher life satisfaction for the expresser but lower life satisfaction for society. In contrast, partial support was found for higher societal life satisfaction in positive societal emotional environments. Our study highlights the potential utility and importance of distinguishing between positive and negative emotion expression, and adopting both individual and societal perspectives in well-being research. Individual pathways to happiness may not necessarily promote the happiness of others.

AB - In this paper, we introduce the concept of ‘societal emotional environment’: the emotional climate of a society (operationalized as the degree to which positive and negative emotions are expressed in a society). Using data collected from 12,888 participants across 49 countries, we show how societal emotional environments vary across countries and cultural clusters, and we consider the potential importance of these differences for well-being. Multilevel analyses supported a ‘double-edged sword’ model of negative emotion expression, where expression of negative emotions predicted higher life satisfaction for the expresser but lower life satisfaction for society. In contrast, partial support was found for higher societal life satisfaction in positive societal emotional environments. Our study highlights the potential utility and importance of distinguishing between positive and negative emotion expression, and adopting both individual and societal perspectives in well-being research. Individual pathways to happiness may not necessarily promote the happiness of others.

KW - Latin America

KW - Societal emotional environment

KW - culture

KW - emotion expression

KW - emotion regulation

KW - life satisfaction

KW - societal well-being

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85119536197

U2 - 10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332

DO - 10.1080/17439760.2020.1858332

M3 - Article

SN - 1743-9760

VL - 17

SP - 117

EP - 130

JO - Journal of Positive Psychology

JF - Journal of Positive Psychology

IS - 1

ER -

Societal emotional environments and cross-cultural differences in life satisfaction: A forty-nine country study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Other keywords

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