Anger is a universal emotion, but how it’s expressed and managed varies across cultures. Understanding these differences can help us appreciate the diverse ways people handle their emotions around the world. Let’s explore how various cultures view and manage anger. Keep in mind, we can’t accurately make wide-sweeping assumptions about an entire group of people. Personality, upbring, and many other factors influence how people deal with anger.
United States: Individual Expression
Freedom of Expression: In the U.S., expressing personal emotions, including anger, is often seen as a sign of authenticity and individuality.
Therapeutic Culture: There’s a strong emphasis on discussing feelings openly, often with the help of therapists or counselors.
Anger Management: Programs and self-help books on anger management are widely available, reflecting the proactive approach many Americans take toward emotional regulation.
Japan: The Value of Harmony
Harmony over Conflict: In Japan, maintaining harmony (called Wa in Japanese) is important. Open displays of anger are frowned upon because they disrupt social cohesion.
Indirect Expression: Anger is often expressed indirectly. People may use subtle cues or non-verbal signals to convey their feelings. Tone of voice, avoidance, apologizing while addressing a problem, and subtle changes in body language/facial expressions may be used to indicate anger.
Public vs. Private: It’s more acceptable to express anger in private, which ensures that there’s no social disruption, and people involved can maintain their dignity.
Middle East: Honor and Respect
Honor Culture: In many Middle Eastern societies, maintaining personal and family honor is crucial. Anger may be expressed if one’s honor is threatened.
Respectful Anger: Expressing anger is acceptable, but it should be done in a way that maintains respect for others.
Community Focus: Anger may be addressed within the context of the community, with elders or leaders mediating conflicts.
Scandinavia: Emotional Reserve
Emotional Restraint: Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Norway value emotional restraint. Emphatic displays of anger like yelling or physical gestures may be viewed as unfavorable or socially inappropriate. Instead, people may disengage by looking away, being quiet, etc.
Direct Communication: Directness is often valued in Scandinavian countries. If upset, people will express their anger in a straightforward but polite way.
Problem-Solving Focus: When anger does arise, the focus is on resolving the underlying issue calmly and rationally.
India: Hierarchical Expressions
Collectivist Culture: Like in other collectivist cultures, the wellbeing of the group may be prioritized over personal feelings in Indian society. However, India is incredibly diverse, and expression of emotions often reflects this. People tend to be more likely to express anger as physical symptoms, rather than verbally.
Respect for Hierarchy: Oftentimes social hierarchy influences how anger is expressed. Children may not be encouraged to express anger (considered disruptive) in the presence of people with more status, like parents, especially their father. However, expressing anger among peers can be done more freely.
Cultural norms and values deeply influence how we express and manage anger. What’s considered appropriate in one culture might be taboo in another. Understanding these perspectives can improve communication and help us be empathetic when interacting with people from different backgrounds.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859704/
https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/latin-america-culture-theory-east-west-comparisons
https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/swedish-culture/swedish-culture-communication
https://news.gallup.com/poll/184631/latin-americans-lead-world-emotions.aspx
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00867/full
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1178&context=orpc