For the past three decades theorizing and research on the relationship between culture and emotion has tended to concentrate on the seemingly straightforward issue of whether or not emotions are universal. This was reflected in a dispute in which it seemed only possible to choose between the two extremes, namely a cultural-relativist point of view or a universalist point of view. However, recent empirical evidence concerning cultural variation in emotion has expanded and is generally consistent with the view that an extreme position in this controversy is untenable. Currently, there is...

This multidisciplinary overview of research into emotional mimicry and empathy explores when, how and why emotional mimicry occurs.