Which of the following best explains why display rules cause differences in the emotions people show across cultures?

• A. Display rules are universal biological responses that ensure everyone expresses emotions in the same way.
• B. Display rules are culturally learned norms that dictate how and when emotions should be expressed, leading to variations in emotional expression between societies.
• C. Display rules only affect the intensity of emotions felt, not the way emotions are shown to others.
• D. Display rules are determined solely by individual personality traits, not by cultural or social factors.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of display rules in psychology. Display rules are culturally learned guidelines that influence how, when, and to whom people express emotions.
2. Step 2: Recognize that display rules are not universal biological responses; instead, they vary across cultures because they are shaped by social norms and cultural expectations.
3. Step 3: Analyze how these culturally specific display rules lead to differences in emotional expression between societies, even if the underlying emotions are similar.
4. Step 4: Differentiate display rules from the intensity of emotions felt; display rules affect the outward expression, not the internal emotional experience.
5. Step 5: Conclude that display rules are influenced by cultural and social factors rather than solely by individual personality traits, explaining why emotional expressions differ across cultures.