Objective
Cross cultural research has revealed differences in the expression and experience of emotions related to individualistic/collectivist (IC) cultural values. The in- versus out-group context and the level of self-relevance of a situation affect these IC differences. Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder associated with abnormalities in emotional responding. Individuals with WS show heighted emotional responses and amygdala activity to happy faces and fearful/threatening non-social scenes but a reduced amygdala response to fearful faces. Thus, cultural and genetic factors can affect emotional responding in specific situations. Emotion regulation involves the processes by which individuals influence the emotions that they experience and express, and may be related to individual differences in emotional responding. There are notable differences in the neural substrates and effects on emotional responding of different emotion regulation processes used in different contexts. fMRI, EEG, behavioural observation, physiological measurement and self-reported emotional experience will be used to investigate the variation in emotion regulation associated with IC factors. IC variation will be measured at a group level (cultural group comparison), at an individual level (affiliation towards specific IC cultural values) and within individuals (manipulation of the temporary salience of a particular IC value), within the context of spontaneous emotion regulation and instructed antecedent and response focussed up- or down-regulation of positive or negative emotional responses. Variation in emotion regulation associated with the WS genotype will be investigated by comparing individuals with WS to individuals without WS matched on age, socialisation and executive functioning. Regulation of emotions resulting from social versus non-social stimuli will be compared to the regulation of empathic emotional responses to facial expressions.
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IOF
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Funding Scheme
MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)Coordinator
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom