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cross-cultural psychology

a branch of psychology that studies similarities and variances in human behavior across different cultures and identifies the different psychological constructs and explanatory models used by these cultures. It has been influenced by anthropology and emphasizes social psychological analyses of international differences. See also ethnic psychology; multicultural psychology.

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Psychology term of the day

May 10th 2024

primary emotion

primary emotion

any one of a limited set of emotions that typically are manifested and recognized universally across cultures. The list of primary emotions varies across different theorists. They often include fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust, contempt, and surprise; some theorists also include shame, shyness, and guilt. Also called basic emotion; core emotion. Compare secondary emotion.