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Joined: 01 Mar 2010
Posts: 3
Location: Poland |
 Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 9:28 am
Post subject: emotions - universal or culture specific? |
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Hello, I'm investigating a very interesting topic, i.e. discriminating emotions in a foreign language. Turns out it is not as easy as it seems. We tend to perceive various emotional behaviors different. It all depends on our mother tongue. In order to explore this intriguing dilemma I decided to write my MA thesis on emotion perception in English language. In order to complete this project I need native English speakers to take part in a short survey. Will you spare some time and contribute to language research, please?
For anyone who wants to help, this is the survey:
http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-survey.php?surveyID=CHODG_80ba3199
If you have any comments or ideas, please share them 
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CoryboboryChomsky 
Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Posts: 700
Location: London, UK (formerly Vancouver, Canada) |
Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:00 am
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Is it the emotions we perceive differently, or the behavioural indicators?
I would think about what role and function emotions have in the first place, and why they might have evolved in the first place. Then, from that perspective, it is likely that all humans are capable of the same range of emotion, but because of culturally learned behaviour, they are expressed and perceived differently from culture to culture.
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BA Linguistics, Simon Fraser University
MSc Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Archaeology, University College London
"No conceit could be worse than a belief in one's own intrinsic objectivity, no prescription more suited to the exposure of fools." |
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Joined: 21 Jul 2008
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Location: Cadiz (Spain) |
Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:09 am
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I agree fully with what Cory has said.
If emotions are cognitive responses to problematic experiences, as Pinker claims, all humans should be wired universally to react in similar manner. Now, the expression of these emotional states must certainly be culturally determined.
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JLG
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CoryboboryChomsky
Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Posts: 700
Location: London, UK (formerly Vancouver, Canada) |
Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:54 am
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Oh my gosh, we fully agree!!! I call for a celebration 
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BA Linguistics, Simon Fraser University
MSc Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Archaeology, University College London
"No conceit could be worse than a belief in one's own intrinsic objectivity, no prescription more suited to the exposure of fools." |
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Joined: 21 Jul 2008
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Location: Cadiz (Spain) |
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Joined: 01 Mar 2010
Posts: 3
Location: Poland |
Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:08 pm
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Thank you for the inspiration! I wasn't sure what to include in my introduction - now I know  That's a very interesting comment Cory:) And to answer your question - there was a study conducted in order to investigate the universality of emotion perception and expression. It turns out that there is a high degree of universality across various cultures, BUT some characteristic features due to cultural and language background can be noticed.
If you want to read more I suggest this article:
Scherer, R. Klaus and Harald G. Wallbott. 1994. “Evidence for universality and cultural variation of differential emotion response patterning”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 67: 310-328
Moreover, it turns out that native speakers are better at emotion discrimination expressed by the means of a vocal communication channel than non native speakers (see: Graham et al. 2001; Abelin,Alwood 2000 and many more) BUT (there's always a but ;p) - my study reveals a bit different pattern - unfortunately - i am still struggling to collect a sufficient number of English native speaker to confirm that. That is why I left the link in the previous post, hope it's not invisible :p
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girlzzzzpower
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
Posts: 8
Location: Saudi Arabia |
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:07 am
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wow your suvery was a great experience
good luck
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please God give strength to finish my MA thesis ....  |
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