Unique Cultural Expressions in Cheerfulness

Recent research indicated the importance of trait cheerfulness in predicting adaptive coping mechanisms, life satisfaction, and flourishing. With worldwide interests in studying this construct, it becomes imperative to understand how the measurement of cheerful behaviours and attitudes may differ cross-culturally. The present study investigates unique cultural patterns in cheerfulness that are distinctive to one culture at the level of the concept, instrument, and item. Participants are recruited from Italy, Canada, Spain, Japan, China, and Germany and mathematical models are used to reveal unique expressions of hilarity (i.e., merry, outward mood state), and cheerful mood (tranquil, composed mood state) cross-culturally. We anticipate unique findingson cultural expressions, including implicit expression of cheerfulness in Eastern cultures, and an explicit way of expressing cheerfulness in Western Cultures. This project not only supports recent calls to investigate cross-cultural invariance across psychological traits, but furthers the investigation on the fundamental conceptualization of cheerfulness.

Faculty Supervisor:

Donald Saklofske

Student:

Partner:

University of Florence

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

Western University

Program: