Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts
Year: 2023
DOI:
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Emotion, Social Selves and Culture – Psychological Perspectives
Lucia Ramona Ceciu
ABSTRACT:
This paper presents the dynamics of emotion with focus on social emotions and multiculturalism, from the psychology, neuroscience and cultural studies perspectives. The cultures that have suffered under imperial and colonial control have prompted the emergence of different perspectives and theories, which were meant to attempt an understanding of the colonial and “postcolonial condition” and the effects on society. From the paths of history and historical inquiry, social sciences, film studies, and social struggle, various thoughts, theories and theorists have contributed to interdisciplinary studies. Cultural psychology has approached exactly these aspects so entrenched into the collective psyche and selves. A culture functions on both conscious and unconscious forces, entailing intricate relations, dialogical interactions and exchanges at all levels in a double circuit – it both constructs and is systemically constructed by people, their lives and their actions. And it depends on people how they chose to live their lives – in harmony or in strife, cultivating curiosity, acceptance and integration of differences, or fear, distance and seclusion from those who are different. On the other hand, multiculturalism needs to consider and integrate realities from all continents and cultures, as well as the ways in which selves and identities get new shapes and dynamics. My paper reviews some of the most important studies in these areas while presenting some new perspectives on the topic drawing on illustrations from India.
keywords: emotion, self, social self, psychology, culture