Emotions across cultures: A comparative survey of Nigeria and Sri Lanka

Emotions across cultures: A comparative survey of Nigeria and Sri Lanka

 Bulus Wayar

Gombe State University, Nigeria

Abstract

Cultures often shape both ways of thinking and expressing feelings. Emotions are not internal and private. Rather, they are socio – cultural indexes in which personal and social factors constitute an integral part of the subject matter. While it is difficult to ascertain someone’s actual emotional state, there are verbal and non- verbal indicators of emotions which are common across many cultures. Nigerian showed their emotions: positive and negative openly through loudness of voice, apportion blames, using various gestulatory features to indicate both joy and anger. Sri Lankans on the other hand emphasized emotional moderation and control. They showed less intense positive and negative emotional experience and smiled less intently and less frequently while relieving positive emotional events.

Keywords: emotions, cultures, deference, glee, malevolent, besmirch comportment