Compassion in Mexico and the United States: Unpacking Cultural Differences

Previous research indicates that cultural variations exist in conceptualizations of compassion, potentially attributable to the extent to which individuals in diverse cultural settings want to avoid (versus accept) feeling negative emotions and the significance they place on emotional sharing as a component of compassion. The present study investigates the conceptualization of compassion among individuals in Mexico and the United States, aiming to understand why these cultural differences occur. We hypothesized that Mexicans (1) would want to avoid feeling negative less, (2) would consequently regard emotion sharing as a more critical element of a compassionate response, and (3) would therefore conceptualize a compassionate face as one that mirrors sadness more and expresses happiness less compared to U.S. Americans. Participants from Mexico and the United States engaged in a reverse correlation task, selecting stimuli that most closely resembled a compassionate face. The selected images were aggregated and coded for the extent of sadness and happiness depicted. Additionally, participants indicated how much they wanted to avoid feeling negative and, by using an open-ended format, described what a compassionate response would entail in their view. These responses were coded for whether or not they focused on emotion sharing. Consistent with our hypotheses, Mexicans, who want to avoid feeling negative less compared to U.S. Americans, place greater importance on emotion sharing in a compassionate response. This variation is associated with Mexicans conceptualizing a compassionate face as one that portrays more sadness and less happiness compared to U.S. Americans. People in different cultural contexts have different views about what compassion might entail. Understanding and embracing these cultural differences in compassion can help us navigate our increasingly multicultural world, fostering more meaningful connections and guiding our actions with more humility and sensitivity.既往研究显示，不同文化背景下人们对慈悲关怀（compassion）的概念化存在差异，这种差异可能源于不同文化场景中的个体在回避（相较于接纳）负面情绪的程度，以及他们将情绪分享视为慈悲关怀组成部分的重视程度有所不同。本研究针对墨西哥与美国民众的慈悲关怀概念化展开探究，旨在阐明此类文化差异的成因。我们提出如下研究假设：其一，墨西哥民众回避负面情绪的程度更低；其二，进而将情绪分享视作慈悲关怀回应更为关键的组成部分；其三，相较美国民众，墨西哥民众会将慈悲关怀的面部形象概念化为更能传递悲伤、更少表达愉悦的形象。来自墨西哥与美国的参与者完成了反向相关任务，挑选出与慈悲关怀面部形象最为契合的刺激图像。随后研究人员对筛选出的图像进行聚合，并编码其所呈现的悲伤与愉悦程度。此外，参与者需报告自身回避负面情绪的意愿程度，并以开放式问答形式描述其眼中慈悲关怀回应的内涵。研究人员对这些开放式回答是否聚焦于情绪分享进行了编码分析。研究结果与我们的假设一致：相较美国民众，墨西哥民众回避负面情绪的程度更低，且更重视在慈悲关怀回应中融入情绪分享。此类文化差异与墨西哥民众将慈悲关怀面部形象概念化为更具悲伤特质、更少流露愉悦的表现形式密切相关。不同文化背景的人群对慈悲关怀的内涵持有不同见解。理解并接纳慈悲关怀领域的此类文化差异，有助于我们在日益多元的全球化社会中更好地应对与融入，建立更具深度的人际联结，并以更为谦逊与共情的态度指导自身行为。