Cultural variation in affect valuation.

TLDR

The authors argue that ideal affect differs from actual affect and that cultural factors influence ideal affect more than actual affect. Across two studies, controlling for actual affect, European American and Asian American participants valued high‑arousal positive affect more than Hong Kong Chinese, whereas Hong Kong Chinese and Asian American participants valued low‑arousal positive affect more than European Americans, and the ideal‑actual affect discrepancy correlated with depression, underscoring that culture shapes ideal affect and that both ideal and actual affect relate to mental health.

Abstract

The authors propose that how people want to feel ("ideal affect") differs from how they actually feel ("actual affect") and that cultural factors influence ideal more than actual affect. In 2 studies, controlling for actual affect, the authors found that European American (EA) and Asian American (AA) individuals value high-arousal positive affect (e.g., excitement) more than do Hong Kong Chinese (CH). On the other hand, CH and AA individuals value low-arousal positive affect (e.g., calm) more than do EA individuals. For all groups, the discrepancy between ideal and actual affect correlates with depression. These findings illustrate the distinctiveness of ideal and actual affect, show that culture influences ideal affect more than actual affect, and indicate that both play a role in mental health.