Which Cultural Dimensions Predict Variations in Emotional Conformity? An Extension of Vishkin et al. (2023) Across 28 Nations

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 2025. Vol. 56. No. 8. P. 911–928.

Smith P., Kirchner-Häusler A., Grigoryan L., Lun V. M., Lopukhova O., Floriano L. P., Rivera P. E., Abbas A., Papastylianou A., Grigoryan A., Koçak Ö. E., Texeira M. L., Selim H., Easterbrook M., Koc Y., Delfino G. I., Efremova M., Daganzo M. A., Adams B., Lay S., Gamsakhurdia V., Castillo V.

Despite being a classic social psychology topic, cultural variability in conformity has only been examined systematically in the last few decades. Vishkin et al. reported evidence that conformity of experienced emotions and of valued emotions is stronger in individualistic cultures. We tested the replicability of this finding using data from 28 nations (N = 6,168), incorporating two further relevant cultural predictors of cultural differences: flexibility-monumentalism and tightness-looseness. Contrasting effects regarding valence were found for conformity of experienced emotions and of valued emotions. Conformity of experienced positive emotions and of valued negative emotions was predicted by individualism, monumentalism, and looseness. The results are discussed in terms of the distinction between injunctive and descriptive norms and cultural variations in the salience of positive and negative emotions. Using additional indicators of cultural difference yields a fuller understanding of these effects than that provided by the contrast between individualism and collectivism. The use of deviation scores provides a useful operationalization of variations in conformity.

Keywords: emotion, conformity, individualism-collectivism, flexibility-monumentalism, tightness-looseness

Publication based on the results of: Comparative studies of culture and subjective well-being: differentiation and integration of societies in the context of global challenges (2025)