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Cross-cultural differences in emotional selection on transmission of information

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 02:44 authored by Kimmo Eriksson, Julie Coultas, Mícheál de Barra
Research on cultural transmission among Americans has established a bias for transmitting stories that have disgusting elements (such as exposure to rats and maggots). Conceived of as a cultural evolutionary force, this phenomenon is one type of emotional selection. In a series of online studies with Americans and Indians we investigate whether there are cultural differences in emotional selection, such that the transmission process favours different kinds of content in different countries. The first study found a bias for disgusting content (rats and maggots) among Americans but not among Indians. Four subsequent studies focused on how country interacts with kind of emotional content (disgusting vs. happy surprises and good news) in reactions to transmission of stories or information. Whereas Indian participants, compared to Americans, tended to be less interested in, and excited by, transmission of stories and news involving common disgust-elicitors (like rats), the opposite pattern held for transmission of happy surprises and good news (e.g., the opening of a new public facility). We discuss various possible explanations and implications.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Journal of Cognition and Culture

ISSN

1567-7095

Publisher

Brill Academic Publishers

Issue

1-2

Volume

16

Page range

122-143

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2016-09-06

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-09-06

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