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Is Emotion Suppression That Bad? Comparing the Emotion Suppression and Subjective Well-being Link in Two Cultures

Korean Journal of Social and Personality Psychology / Korean Journal of Social and Personality Psychology, (P)1229-0653;
2009, v.23 no.1, pp.131-146
https://doi.org/10.21193/kjspp.2009.23.1.008


Thai Chu (University of California, Santa Barbara)
Heejung S. Kim (University of California, Santa Barbara)
David K. Sherman (University of California, Santa Barbara)
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Abstract

The present study examined possible cultural differences in the relation between emotion suppression and subjective well-being. Compared to Americans, Koreans reported chronically higher levels of emotion suppression, but reported less difficulty in doing so. Cultural variation also emerged in the individual characteristics associated with emotion suppression. Emotion suppression was negatively associated with extraversion in the U. S., whereas it related positively with conscientiousness in Korea. Consistent with past findings, Americans who habitually suppressed their emotions had lower self-esteem, were emotionally distanced from others, and experienced lower subjective well-being than others. Interestingly, these negative patterns were absent in the Korean sample. Overall, the negative psychological signs of emotion suppression seem less evident in Korean culture where collective goals and harmony take precedence over expressions of individuality.

keywords
정서억제, 주관적 안녕감, 문화, Emotion suppression, Subjective well-being, Culture

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