How to debunk deceptive emotions | Kristen Lindquist

Summary

In this insightful talk, Kristen Lindquist explores the concept of 'affective realism' and how our emotions, shaped by culture, influence our perception of reality. She delves into the neural and cultural basis of emotions, highlighting the differences in emotional expression and physiological responses across cultures, such as individualistic versus collectivistic societies. Lindquist emphasizes the importance of understanding these cultural nuances to foster better connections and appreciate the diversity in human psychology.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Emotions can feel like undeniable facts, influencing our perceptions and actions, a phenomenon known as 'affective realism'.
• 🌐 Culture plays a significant role in shaping our emotions, which in turn serve as lenses through which we interpret the world.
• 😨 The realization that others might have vastly different emotional experiences can be unsettling, but it's crucial for understanding diverse perceptions in daily interactions.
• 🎓 Kristen Lindquist is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill, focusing on the neural and cultural basis of emotion.
• 🏺 Emotions are likened to cultural artifacts, passed down through generations alongside art, religion, and language, with a biological basis but heavily influenced by culture.
• 🔧 Culture defines our identity and aspirations, with experiences rooted in it affecting even the functioning of individual neurons processing sensory information.
• 🌍 A key area of study is the comparison between individualistic cultures like the U.S. and collectivistic cultures like Japan, showing differences in emotional expression and physiological responses.
• 💡 Emotions such as anger can have different meanings and physical effects across cultures, reflecting varying social norms and responses to disruptions in group harmony.
• 🚨 Basic emotions like anger, sadness, and fear are critical for survival, but their interpretation and expression can vary widely among cultures.
• 🗣️ Facial expressions are not universally recognized in the same way across cultures; there's significant variability in how emotions are communicated non-verbally.
• 🤔 The concept of 'other minds' in philosophy acknowledges the challenge of truly understanding the mental states of others, suggesting the need for open-mindedness and cultural sensitivity.

Q & A

What is 'affective realism'?

Affective realism refers to the phenomenon where powerful emotions feel like undeniable facts, influencing our perceptions and making our emotional experiences seem like the absolute truth of the world around us.

How does culture shape our emotions?

Culture shapes our emotions by influencing how we feel and interpret the world. It acts as a lens through which we view and react to our surroundings, and our emotional responses are often a product of the cultural norms and values we have internalized.

What is Kristen Lindquist's area of study?

Kristen Lindquist is a professor of psychology and neuroscience who studies the neural and cultural basis of emotion, focusing on how culture influences our emotional experiences and expressions.

How do emotions function as cultural artifacts?

Emotions function as cultural artifacts by being passed down through generations, similar to art, religion, and language. They are shaped by cultural practices and values, and thus vary across different societies.

What is the difference in the expression of anger between individualistic and collectivistic cultures?

In individualistic cultures like the United States, anger is expressed as a means to assert individual rights and to highlight a violation. In contrast, in collectivistic cultures like Japan, anger signals a disruption in group harmony and is used to mend social bonds.

How does the experience of anger affect the body in the United States versus Japan?

In the United States, anger is associated with increased inflammation and stress, which can lead to health issues like cardiovascular disease. In Japan, anger does not show a robust increase in inflammation, indicating a different physiological response to the same emotion.

What is the role of facial expressions in communicating emotions?

Facial expressions play a role in communicating emotions, but not necessarily in an automatic or reflexive manner. They are influenced by cultural interpretations and may not always accurately represent the internal emotional state of an individual.

How do cultural biases affect our perception of others' facial expressions?

Cultural biases can lead us to impose our own interpretations of facial expressions onto others, potentially misreading their emotions and intentions. This highlights the importance of understanding and respecting the diversity in emotional expression across cultures.

What is the philosophical concept related to understanding others' emotions?

The philosophical concept related to understanding others' emotions is epistemic skepticism, which suggests that we can never truly know the content of another person's mind.

How can recognizing psychological diversity improve cross-cultural interactions?

By acknowledging that everyone has a unique psychological perspective shaped by their culture, we can approach interactions with an open mind, seeking to understand others' feelings rather than assuming, which can lead to better connections and communication across cultural groups.

What is the potential benefit of diverse perceptions in understanding the world?

Diverse perceptions can lead to a broader range of insights and better answers about how the world works, as each person brings a unique angle and understanding to shared experiences and knowledge.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Emotional Realism and Cultural Influence

This paragraph discusses the concept of 'affective realism,' where powerful emotions are perceived as undeniable facts that alter our perception of the world. It highlights how culture shapes our emotions, which in turn influence our interpretation of reality. The speaker, Kristen Lindquist, a professor of psychology and neuroscience, explains that emotions are cultural artifacts passed down through generations, like art and language. She emphasizes that while there is a biological basis for emotions, culture defines who we are and affects even the neural processing of our experiences. The paragraph also delves into the differences in how individualistic and collectivistic cultures, such as the United States and Japan, respectively, perceive and respond physiologically to emotions like anger, illustrating the cultural variability in emotional expression and experience.

05:02

🌐 Cultural Variability in Emotional Expression and Perception

The second paragraph explores the variability in emotional expression and perception across different cultures. It challenges the idea that facial expressions are universally recognized and instead suggests that they are interpreted through cultural lenses. The paragraph discusses research using computer graphics to demonstrate that people from different cultural backgrounds perceive facial movements differently. It also touches on the philosophical concept of 'other minds' problem, which questions our ability to truly understand the mental states of others. The speaker advocates for an open-minded approach to recognizing and learning about the unique emotional experiences of individuals from diverse backgrounds, suggesting that this diversity in perception can lead to a better understanding of the world.

Keywords

💡affective realism

Affective realism refers to the phenomenon where powerful emotions are perceived as undeniable facts, influencing our perceptions and interpretations of the world around us. In the context of the video, this concept is used to explain how our emotional experiences can feel like the absolute truth, even though they are shaped by our cultural environment. The video emphasizes that understanding affective realism can help us recognize the diversity of emotional experiences across different cultures.

💡culture

Culture is defined as the set of shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices that are learned and passed down within a society. In the video, culture is portrayed as a significant influence on shaping emotions and the way individuals interpret their experiences. It is highlighted that culture not only affects our social behaviors but also has a profound impact on our psychological and neural processes.

💡individualism

Individualism is a social and philosophical concept that emphasizes the importance of individual freedom and autonomy over collective goals. In the context of the video, individualistic cultures, such as the United States, are characterized by a focus on personal achievement and self-expression. This cultural orientation influences how emotions like anger are experienced and expressed, often as a means to assert one's individuality or to signal a violation of personal rights.

💡collectivism

Collectivism is a cultural value that emphasizes the importance of group harmony, interdependence, and the needs of the community over individual desires. The video explains that in collectivist societies, emotions are often experienced and expressed in ways that maintain social cohesion. For instance, anger in Japan is seen as a signal to restore group harmony rather than as a personal assertion, resulting in different physiological responses compared to individualistic cultures.

💡emotions

Emotions are complex psychological states that involve a mix of feelings, physiological responses, and behavioral expressions. In the video, emotions are described as cultural artifacts that are transmitted through generations, similar to language and art. They are not solely biological but are also shaped by cultural norms and values, which in turn influence how individuals perceive and react to their environment.

💡neural and cultural basis of emotion

The neural and cultural basis of emotion refers to the study of how brain processes and cultural factors jointly contribute to the experience and expression of emotions. The video explains that while humans are born with the basic 'hardware' for creating emotions, culture plays a significant role in defining emotional experiences. This includes how emotions are processed at the level of individual neurons, reflecting the interplay between biology and culture.

💡facial expressions

Facial expressions are the observable changes in the face that reflect an individual's emotional state. The video challenges the traditional view that facial expressions are automatic and universal signals of internal states, suggesting instead that they are influenced by cultural norms and may not always convey a veridical representation of what a person is feeling. This highlights the role of cultural biases in interpreting facial expressions.

💡cultural artifacts

Cultural artifacts are tangible objects or intangible practices created by a culture that express its values, beliefs, and history. In the video, emotions are likened to cultural artifacts, suggesting that they are passed down through generations and evolve over time, much like art, religion, and language. This concept underscores the idea that emotions are not purely biological but are also shaped by cultural transmission.

💡physiological response

A physiological response is a functional change in the body that occurs as a reaction to a stimulus. In the context of the video, it refers to how different cultures can have distinct physiological reactions to the same emotion, such as anger leading to increased inflammation in the United States but not in Japan. This concept illustrates the deep connection between culture and the body's physical reactions to emotional experiences.

💡perception

Perception is the process by which individuals interpret and give meaning to sensory information. In the video, perception is discussed in relation to how emotions, influenced by culture, shape the way we perceive and understand the world around us. It emphasizes that our emotional experiences can alter our perceptions, leading us to interpret events and interactions differently based on our cultural background.

💡cultural biases

Cultural biases refer to the predispositions or preferences that individuals develop based on their cultural background, which can influence their perceptions, judgments, and interpretations of others. In the video, it is explained that cultural biases can affect how we understand and react to facial expressions, leading us to impose our own cultural understandings onto others' emotional displays.

💡diversity

Diversity refers to the variety and differences among individuals or groups, particularly in terms of cultural, ethnic, or social backgrounds. In the video, diversity is highlighted as a source of unique perspectives and understandings, which can lead to better problem-solving and a more comprehensive understanding of the world. It encourages embracing differences and learning from others' experiences to foster connections across cultural groups.

Highlights

Powerful emotions can feel like undeniable facts, altering our perception of reality.

The concept of 'affective realism' refers to the belief that our emotional experiences represent the truth of our surroundings.

Culture plays a significant role in shaping our emotions, which in turn influence how we interpret the world.

Understanding emotional diversity across cultures can enhance our perception of daily interactions.

Kristen Lindquist is a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill studying the neural and cultural basis of emotion.

Emotions are cultural artifacts, passed down through generations like art and language.

While there is a biological basis for emotions, culture significantly defines our identities and experiences.

Cultural experiences can influence the operation of individual neurons processing sensory information.

Individualistic societies like the U.S. view anger as a means to assert individual rights and highlight violations.

In collectivist cultures like Japan, anger signals a need to restore group harmony rather than personal violation.

Emotions such as anger can have different physiological responses in different cultures, such as varying levels of inflammation.

Basic emotions like anger, sadness, and fear are critical for survival but can be interpreted differently across cultures.

Facial expressions were once thought to be universal signals of internal states but are now understood to be culturally influenced.

Research using computer graphics has shown that certain facial muscle movements are perceived differently across cultures.

Facial expressions may not provide a verbatim representation of emotions, and our interpretations are biased by our cultural lenses.

The philosophical concept of 'other minds' problem suggests that we can never fully understand the contents of another person's mind.

Recognizing psychological diversity and avoiding the imposition of our biases can lead to better cross-cultural connections.

Each person's unique perspective contributes to a diverse understanding of the world, potentially leading to better insights.

Transcripts

- Powerful emotions feel like irrefutable facts.

They wash over us, take over our bodies,

and change our perceptions.

We call this 'affective realism'

where your emotional experiences

feel like they are the truth of the world around you.

When, in reality, the culture that we live in is,

in a sense, shaping your emotions

and your emotions are then serving as a lens

for interpreting the world around you.

And the notion that people could be thinking

and feeling something that is completely different

from what we would think or feel in that context

is frankly kind of scary.

But understanding that people don't necessarily

have the same emotional mind as us

could really open our eyes to how it is

that we're perceiving interactions in day-to-day life.

I'm Kristen Lindquist,

and I'm a professor of psychology and neuroscience

at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-

and I study the neural and cultural basis of emotion.

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,

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.

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.

There's some nice work that has been done

using computer graphics to randomly display an avatar's face

and randomly move its facial muscles.

And so participants from China saw a movement of an eyebrow

or a wrinkling of the lip

that Western perceivers did not see.

In the U.K., there were facial muscle movements

associated with an emotion like anger

that were not perceived to be associated

with that emotion category in China.

So there's a fair amount of variability

in which specific facial muscle movements are associated

with different categories.

And what's really critical to understand

is that the signals that people make with their face

need not give some veritical representation

of what it is that they're feeling.

But secondly, that we are imposing our own cultural biases

onto people's facial muscle movements.

This all comes down to something which in philosophy

is called

which is that we can never truly understand

the content of other people's minds.

And yet, when we encounter people from different cultures

in daily life, even within our own cities,

people who come from different regional backgrounds,

or have different religious backgrounds,

or even have different political identities-

it can be stressful to encounter other cultures

and realize that something is just a little bit out of sync.

If you recognize that everybody's psychology

is a little bit distinct and that you are perhaps imposing

your own bias onto things

and have more of an open mind about trying to learn

what somebody is feeling instead of assuming,

then there's more avenues for connections across groups.

Each person is bringing to bear

really something that is unique,

a unique angle on the world around them.

And ultimately, this diversity in perceptions could lead us

to better answers about how it is that the world works.