Development, Socialization and Role of Emotions, Selfregulation, and Life Satisfaction in Cultural Contexts

1. Function of Emotion Regulation for Life Satisfaction and Social Interaction in Cultural Contexts

• How do cultural values and socialization practices influence emotion regulation in different cultural contexts (Germany, Japan, Hong Kong)?
• Which strategies of emotion regulation are socially adaptive in different cultures?
• What role does the independent or interdependent self-concept play in these processes? 

Publications

Schunk, F., Wong, N., Nakao, G., & Trommsdorff, G. (2022). Different functions of emotion regulation in linking harmony seeking and rejection avoidance to life satisfaction and social support in Germany, Hong Kong, and Japan [Advance online publication]. Asian Journal of Social Psychology

. doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.12557 

Schunk, F., Trommsdorff, G., & König-Teshnizi, D. (2021). Regulation of positive and negative emotions across cultures: Does culture moderate associations between emotion regulation and mental health? Cognition and Emotion

. doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2021.1997924

Schunk, F., Trommsdorff, G., Wong, N., & Nakao, G. (2021). Associations between emotion regulation and life satisfaction among university students from Germany, Hong Kong, and Japan: The mediating role of social support. Frontiers in Psychology, 12

, Article 745888. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.745888

Schunk, F., Zeh, F., & Trommsdorff, G. (2021). Cybervictimization and well-being among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of emotional self-efficacy and emotion regulation. Computers in Human Behavior

, 107035. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8481162/

Poster

Schunk, F., Trommsdorff, G., & König-Teshnizi, D. (2021, July). Emotional expression and life satisfaction in Germany and Japan: Self-construal as a mediator

[Poster presentation]. 25th International Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21650.99527

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Schunk, F., Trommsdorff, G., & König-Teshnizi, D. (2021, May). Suppression of emotions is differently related to depressive symptoms across cultures: Distinguishing between general and empathic suppression of emotions

[Poster presentation]. 2021 APS Virtual Convention. dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.10197.96481

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2. Developmental Conditions of Emotions in Cultural Comparison

Publications

Cho, S. I., Song, J.-H., Trommsdorff, G., Cole, P. M., Niraula, S., & Park, S.-Y. (2022). Mothers' reactions to children's emotion expressions in different cultural contexts: Comparisons across Nepal, Korea, and Germany. Early Education and Development,

1–19. doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2022.2035178

Trommsdorff, G. (2022) (in press). Wie wird in anderen Kulturen Mitgefühl entwickelt und wirksam?. In Kienbaum, J. (Ed.). Entwicklung von Mitgefühl.

Kohlhammer Verlag. kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/56368

Song, J. H., & Trommsdorff, G. (2016). Linking maternal emotion socialization to boys’ and girls’ emotion regulation in Korea. Child Studies in Asia-Pacific Contexts

, 6(2), 47-57. doi.org/10.5723/csac.2016.6.2.047

3. Developmental Conditions of Self-Regulation in Cultural Comparison

Publications

Deffaa, M., Weis, M., Muñoz, L. & Trommsdorff, G. (2022). The role of culture and environmental risk for maternal parenting and children’s behavior regulation in Chile and Germany. Submitted to Journal of Child and Family Studies.

Deffaa, M., Weis, M., & Trommsdorff, G. (2020). The role of maternal parenting for children’s behavior regulation in environments of risk. Frontiers in Psychology, 11,

2159. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02159

Jaramillo, J. M., Rendón, M. I., Muñoz, L., Weis, M. & Trommsdorff, G. (2017). Children’s self-regulation in cultural contexts: The role of parental socialization theories, goals, and practices. Frontiers in Psychology, 8

, 923. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00923

Trommsdorff, G. (2018). Entwicklung von Selbstregulation im kulturellen Kontext. In M. Vielberg (Hrsg.), Klassensitzungsvorträge 2016-2017

(S. 121-138). Akademie gemeinnütziger Wissenschaften zu Erfurt. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag. kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/43119

Weis, M., Trommsdorff, G., & Muñoz, L. (2016). Children's self-regulation and school achievement in cultural contexts: the role of maternal restrictive control. Frontiers in Psychology

, 7, 722. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00722

4. Conditions of Life Satisfaction

Publications

Headey, B., Trommsdorff, G., & Wagner, G. G. (2021). Alternative recipes for life satisfaction: Evidence from five world regions. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 16

. doi.org/10.1007/s11482-021-09937-3

Headey, B., Okubo, T. Trommsdorff, G. (2022). Life satisfaction research to guide public policy: Exploratory analysis of policy opportunities and policy traps. (Submitted) 

Richter, N., Bondü, R., Spiess, C. K., Wagner, G. G., & Trommsdorff, G. (2018). Relations among maternal life satisfaction, shared activities, and child well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 739.

doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00739

Richter, N., Bondü, R., & Trommsdorff, G. (under review). Antecedents and correlates of successful transition to motherhood. Journal of Child and Family Studies.

Trommsdorff, G. (2018). Well-being and happiness in cultural context. In K.-U. Mayer (Ed.), Gutes Leben oder gute Gesellschaft? Nova Acta Leopoldina, NF Nr. 417

(pp. 159 - 177). Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/41655.2

Uchida, Y., & Trommsdorff, G. (2022). SOEP-IS 2014-Cross-cultural study of happiness and personality. SOEP Survey Papers, 1092

. hdl.handle.net/10419/253407

5. The Role of Emotion Regulation for Cyberbullying in Cultural Contexts 

• What are the possible predictors and psychosocial consequences of cyberbullying? 
• Which role plays emotion regulation for perpetrating cyberbullying (cyberaggression) and coping with experiencing cyberbullying (cybervictimization)? 
• Are there differences regarding prevalences and associations of cyberbullying across cultural contexts (Germany, Japan, Hong Kong)? 

Submitted journal articles

Wong, N., Schunk, F., Trommsdorff, G., & McBride, C. (2021). Fun-seeking tendencies and moral disengagement in cyberbullying: An exploratory study among emerging adults from Germany and Hong Kong [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Edited book chapters

Trommsdorff, G. (2020). Aspects of adaptation to digital transformations and their regulation in democracies. In C. Schmidt & R. Kleinfeld (Eds.) The crisis of democracy?  Chances, risks, and challenges in Japan (Asia) and Germany (Europe) (pp. 39-52). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/43100

6. Previous Projects:
The Role of Emotions for Prosocial Behavior, and Socialization Conditions for the Development of Pro- and Antisocial Motivation in Cross-Cultural Comparison

1. The Role of Emotions for Prosocial Behavior

The aim of the project was to investigate the functional meaning of emotions for prosocial behavior and the change of this function in the course of children’s development. Further aims are to explain possible interindividual and situation-specific differences in the forms and manifestations of emotions and in prosocial behavior, to investigate the stability of emotions and prosocial behavior in the course of development, as well as to investigate the conditions for the development of emotions and prosocial behavior in the actual process of behavior.

In combined longitudinal and cross-sectional studies children of different age groups and cultures (Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Israel) and their mothers were investigated with regard to the role of emotions, emotion regulation and empathy for prosocial behavior. Apart from questionnaires and interviews, behavioral observations with quasi-experimental interactional settings were used as data sources. Results clearly show supraindividual patterns and individual and intraindividual differences in the course of development, in procsocial motivation and in inhibiting or activating functions of emotions, as well as in the role of empathy in the difference to distress and of social cognitions (e.g. self concept) for prosocial behavior.

In connection with the project “Development of Intentionality and of Emotion Regulation” it is of interest if and to what extent the development of intentionality can explain a) the relations between emotions, altruistic intentions, and prosocial behavior and b) the development of such relations.

2. Socialization Conditions for the Development of Pro- and Antisocial Motivation in Cross-Cultural Comparison

In two projects relations between cultural values, naive theories of child-rearing, parental child-rearing goals, individual values, and the development of pro- and antisocial motivation were investigated from a developmental psychological and cross-cultural perspective.

(a) Longitudinal comparisons of mothers, children and adolescents from East and West Germany after the reunification have shown that previous theoretical approaches to the effect of socialization conditions regarding individualistic and collectivistic cultural contexts and the effects of social change on these socialization contexts are to be differentiated.

(b) As part of the project on subjective child-rearing and developmental theories in cross-cultural comparison (Brazil, Republic of Korea, Germany) both the inter- and intracultural differences in these child-rearing theories (i.a. goals, attributions) as well as the differential function of certain goals and strategies for the development of children were investigated. Analysis of relations between culturally specific socialization conditions and the emotional development of children takes into account interindividual differences as well as situation specific conditions of emotional regulation.

The research on a) socialization conditions in East and West German comparison was carried out as part of the DFG-sponsored special program "Childhood and Youth in Germany Before and After the Reunification – Changing Developmental Conditions and Circumstances"; The research on b) “Child-Rearing Theories” in cross-cultural comparison was carried out in the framework of the Special Research Center 511, Project No. 15 (in each case Prof. Dr. G. Trommsdorff as PI).

Publications (selection):

Trommsdorff, G. (2020). The development of moral values in cultural context. In L.A. Jensen (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of moral development: An interdisciplinary perspective. Oxford Library of Psychology (pp. 145-163). Oxford University Press (OUP). doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190676049.013.10

kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/41656

Trommsdorff, G. (2018). Well-being and happiness in cultural context. In K.-U. Mayer (Ed.), Gutes Leben oder gute Gesellschaft? Nova Acta Leopoldina, NF Nr. 417 (pp. 159 -177). Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/41655

Jaramillo, J. M., Rendón, M. I., Muñoz, L., Weis, M. & Trommsdorff, G. (2017). Children’s self-regulation in cultural contexts: The role of parental socialization theories, goals, and practices. Frontiers in Psychology, 8

, Article 923. dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00923 kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/39523

Weis, M., Trommsdorff, G., Heikamp, T., Redondo, J., & Muñoz, L. (2016). Developmental aspects of self-regulation in Germany and Chile: Links among maternal warmth, children’s self-regulation, and social competence. In C. Roland-Lévy, P. Denoux, B. Voyer, P. Boski & W. K. Gabrenya Jr. (Eds.), Unity, diversity and culture: Research and scholarship selected from the 22nd Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (pp. 340-344). Melbourne, Florida USA: International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-0-378141

Friedlmeier, W., Schäfermeier, E., Vasconcellos, V., & Trommsdorff, G. (2008). Self-construal and cultural orientation as predictors for developmental goals: A comparison between Brazilian and German caregivers. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5(1), 39-67. 
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17405620600751085 http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2008/5945

Friedlmeier, W., & Trommsdorff, G. (1998). Japanese and German mother-child interactions in early childhood. In G. Trommsdorff, W. Friedlmeier, & H.-J. Kornadt (Eds.), Japan in transition: Social and psychological aspects (pp. 217-230). Lengerich, Germany: Pabst Science. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2010/10251/

Kienbaum, J., & Trommsdorff, G. (1999). Social development of young children in different cultural systems. International Journal of Early Years Education, 7, 241-248. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0966976990070304 http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2008/6115

Trommsdorff, G. (2017). Cultural psychology, socialization and development in changing contexts. In R. A. Scott & M. C. Buchmann (Eds.), Emerging trends in the social and behavioral sciences (pp. 1-16).  Hoboken: Wiley. doi.org/10.1002/9781118900772.etrds0439 kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/40755

Trommsdorff, G. (2017). Entwicklung von Intentionalität: Implikationen für moralische Entwicklung im kulturellen Kontext. In J. Sautermeister (Ed.), Moralpsychologie: Transdisziplinäre Perspektiven (pp. 125-143). Stuttgart, Germany: Kohlhammer W. https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/39690

Trommsdorff, G. (2015). Commentary: The next step for the cultural-developmental approach: From moral reasoning to moral intentions and behavior. In L. A. Jensen (Ed.), Moral development in a global world: Research from a cultural-developmental perspective (S. 204-219). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/31134 

Trommsdorff, G. (2015). Cultural roots of values, morals, and religious orientations in adolescent development. In L. A. Jensen (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of human development and culture: an interdisciplinary perspective (pp. 377-395). Oxford: Oxford Library of Psychology. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-0-285917

Trommsdorff, G. (2014). Cultural roots of values, morals, and religious orientations in adolescent development. In L. A. Jensen (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of human development and culture: An interdisciplinary perspective (Online publication). http://kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/31005

Trommsdorff, G. (2012). Development of agentic regulation in cultural context: The role of self and world views. Child Development Perspectives, 6, 19-26. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-185629

Trommsdorff, G. (2005). Entwicklung sozialer Motive: Pro- und antisoziales Handeln. In J. B. Asendorpf (Hrsg.), „Soziale, emotionale und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung“. Enzyklopädie Serie V, Band 3 (S. 75-139). Göttingen: Hogrefe. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2009/8370

Trommsdorff, G. (2000). Effects of social change on individual development: The role of social and personal factors and the timing of events. In L. J. Crockett & R. K. Silbereisen (Eds.), Negotiating adolescence in times of social change (pp. 58-68). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2009/8504/

Trommsdorff, G. (2000). Subjective experience of social change in individual development. In J. Bynner & R. K. Silbereisen (Eds.), Adversity and challenge in life in the new Germany and in England (pp. 87-122). Basingstoke, UK: Macmillan Press. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2009/8319

Trommsdorff, G. (1999). Social change and individual development in East Germany: A methodological critique. In R. K. Silbereisen & A. von Eye (Eds.), Growing up in times of social change (pp. 171-199). Berlin, Germany: de Gruyter. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2010/10256/

Trommsdorff, G. (1995). Person-context relations as developmental conditions for empathy and prosocial action: A cross-cultural analysis. In T. A. Kindermann & J. Valsiner (Eds.), Development of person-context relations (pp. 113-146). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2010/9869/

Trommsdorff, G., & Cole, P. M. (2011). Emotion, self-regulation, and social behavior in cultural contexts. In X. Chen & K. H. Rubin (Eds.), Socioemotional development in cultural context (pp. 131-163). New York: The Guilford Press. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-141216

Trommsdorff, G., & Friedlmeier, W. (2010). Preschool girls’ distress and mothers’ sensitivity in Japan and Germany. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 7, 350-370. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17405620802252742 http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2010/11656/

Trommsdorff, G., & Friedlmeier, W. (2004). Kultur und Individuum: Ein Beitrag kulturvergleichender Psychologie zur Rolle subjektiver Erziehungstheorien. In A. Assmann, U. Gaier, & G. Trommsdorff (Hrsg.), Positionen der Kulturanthropologie (S. 358-386). Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.

Trommsdorff, G., Friedlmeier, W., & Mayer, B. (2007). Sympathy, distress, and prosocial behavior of preschool children in four cultures. International Journal of Behavioural Development, 31(3), 284-293. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025407076441 http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2008/5940

Trommsdorff, G., & Kornadt, H.-J. (1995). Prosocial and antisocial motivation of adolescents in East and West Germany. In J. Youniss (Ed.), After the wall: Family adaptations in East and West Germany (pp. 39-56). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2010/9870/

Trommsdorff, G., Kornadt, H.-J., & Hessel-Scherf, M. (1998). Soziale Motivation ost- und westdeutscher Kinder. In H. Oswald (Hrsg.), Sozialisation und Entwicklung in den neuen Bundesländern: Ergebnisse empirischer Längsschnittforschung (S. 121-136). Weinheim: Juventa. http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2010/10249/

Volland, C., & Trommsdorff, G. (2003). Mütterliche Feinfühligkeit und die Entwicklung von mitfühlend-prosozialem Verhalten bei Vorschulkindern: Eine Beobachtungsstudie. Zeitschrift für Entwicklungspsychologie und Pädagogische Psychologie, 35, 2-11. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1026//0049-8637.35.1.2 http://kops.ub.uni-konstanz.de/volltexte/2008/6004