Cultural influences on the relation between pleasant emotions and unpleasant emotions: Asian dialectic philosophies or individualism-collectivism?

The present study examined the hypothesis that Asian cultures' dialectical way of thinking influences emotion reports. A dialectical way of thinking sees emotions of the opposite valence (e.g., happy, sad) as compatible with each other. In contrast, Western philosophy considers these emotions to be in conflict with each other. We examined correlations between frequency estimates of pleasant emotions (FPE) and frequency estimates of unpleasant emotions (FUE) in Asian, non-Asian collectivistic, and Western cultures. As predicted, FPE-FUE correlations were less negative in Asian cultures than in other cultures. We also observed a tendency for the culture effect to be moderated by gender. The strongest negative correlation was obtained for women in non-Asian cultures.     

Psychotherapie als Weg zum Seelen-Enhancement?

Self-optimization is a widespread trend. Psychotherapists often attempt to psychologically explain self-optimization as a manifestation of narcissism. In reality the fact that self-optimization has become a contemporary imperative is only comprehensible against the background of the individualization of living conditions (Beck). In psychotherapy the boundaries between medical treatment of mental illnesses and enhancement of the psyche are increasingly becoming more flexible. By promising to be able to help on the road to a happier and more productive life, to mental well-being or more life satisfaction, psychotherapy joins the self-optimization chorus. Not all attempts at optimization are limited to wanting to improve those features which are inherent to a person: others, such as the transhumanists want to overcome the imperfections of man via technologically upgrading the human nature.