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Emotions are like cultural artifacts. They're things that are passed down over time from one individual to the next, like art and religion and the language that you speak. Now, I should clarify, this is not to say that there isn't a biological basis for those things. All humans are born with the basic hardware that helps the brain create emotions. But it's not just biology that produces the process of evolution. Cultures evolve too. Culture very much defines who we are, who we see ourselves as, who we want to be. And the experiences that you've had, which are very much nested in culture, can trickle down to the operation of single neurons that are processing visual sensations in the world around you. One of the most prominent focuses of this work has been on cultures that are high in what's called individualism versus cultures that are high in what's called collectivism. As a case in point in the United States, which is a highly individualistic society, anger is about making yourself different from the people around you. It's about showing that some sort of violation has occurred, setting a line in the sand and saying, "You did something wrong to me." And when individuals in the United States experience anger, we see an increase in inflammation. Too much inflammation, too much stress ends up creating things like cardiovascular disease and many other disorders.

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Emotions are like cultural artifacts. / They're things / that are passed down / over time / from one individual / to the next, / like art / and religion / and the language that you speak. / Now, I should clarify, / this is not to say that there isn't a biological basis / for those things. / All humans are born with the basic hardware that helps the brain create emotions. / But it's not just biology / that produces the process of evolution. / Cultures evolve too. / Culture / very much defines / who we are, / who we / see ourselves as, / who we want to be. / And the experiences that you've had, / which are very much nested in culture, / can trickle down / to the operation of single neurons that are processing / visual sensations in the world around you. / One of the / most prominent focuses of this work has been on cultures that are high in what's called individualism / versus cultures that are high in what's called collectivism. / As a case in point / in the United States, / which is / a highly individualistic society, / anger is about / making yourself / different from the people around you. / It's about showing that some sort of violation has occurred, / setting a line in the sand and saying, / "You did something wrong to me." / And / when individuals in the United States / experience / anger, / we see an increase in inflammation. / Too much inflammation, / too much stress / ends up / creating things like cardiovascular disease and many other disorders. //

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In Japan, anger does not show a robust increase in inflammation. In Japan, anger is a signal that harmony in the group has been disrupted and a signal to mend bonds. A different physiological response to the same exact emotional experience. But emotions like anger and sadness and fear seem so basic, so critical to our survival. And surely people from cultures around the world experience threats and experience their hearts beating quickly when their lives are in danger. And that is not in question. The question is how it is that their brains are making meaning of those instances and experiencing them as something separate from other types of mental states. In much of the early theorizing about emotion, it was assumed that facial muscle movements were automatically triggered means of signaling somebody's internal state to other people. The theory has progressed on this over time to suggest that it may be that people are communicating what they feel with their facial expressions, but not automatically and reflexively, in much the same way that they would use language.

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In Japan, / anger does not / show a robust increase in inflammation. / In Japan, / anger is a signal that harmony in the group / has been disrupted / and a signal to mend bonds. / A different physiological response / to the same exact emotional experience. / But emotions / like anger / and sadness / and fear / seem / so basic, / so / critical to our survival. / And surely people from cultures / around the world / experience threats / and experience their hearts beating quickly / when their lives are in danger. / And that is not in question. / The question / is how it is that their brains are making meaning of those instances / and experiencing them / as something separate / from other types of mental states. / In much of the early theorizing about emotion, / it was assumed that / facial muscle movements were automatically triggered / means of signaling somebody's internal state / to other people. / The theory has progressed on this over time / to suggest that / it may be that people are / communicating what they feel with their facial expressions, / but not automatically and reflexively, / in much the same way that they would use language. //