Abstract
Peak experiences are joyous and fulfilling moments in life, and thought to be associated with happiness and well-being. However, whether peak experiences vary from culture to culture is still under-researched. The current study investigated the autobiographical memories of peak experiences in Portugal and China. College students from Portugal and Mainland China (N = 161) reported their memory of a peak-experience occurring before the age of 14 and provided a self-rating on its enduring impact. We found that participants from Portugal reported peak-experiences involving a developmental landmark more frequently than did Mainland Chinese. In contrast, Mainland Chinese reported peak-experiences involving serenity more frequently than did Portuguese participants. Although Mainland Chinese provided more details about their peak-experiences, their narratives were more generic and emotionally mild. In particular, memory specificity (specific vs. general) significantly mediated the association between culture and developmental landmark, whereas memory emotionality (low arousal emotions) significantly mediated the link between culture and serenity. This study extends previous research on youthful peak-experiences to a cross-cultural context by incorporating measures of autobiographical memory to analyze variations between these two cultural groups.
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Notes
1. Scoring guidelines for youthful peak-experiences:
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a.
Interpersonal Joy—References to family togetherness, friendship, birth of a sibling, having a mentor, being a mentor, recovery of family member from illness, peer camaraderie.
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b.
External Achievement—References to winning a competition, getting excellent or highest grades in school, performing before others. Also, if the report focuses on external praise from a teacher or athletic coach, that is external achievement.
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c.
Materialism—If the emphasis is on the materialistic aspects of a trip or a meal, then score as materialism.
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d.
Developmental Landmark—The peak-experience involves a sense of greater autonomy, growth, freedom, or adulthood.
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e.
Nature—If the report mentions the beauty or appeal of a lake, sunlight, stars, or mountains, then it should be scored as nature. Also, all references to pets should be scored as nature.
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f.
Aesthetics—References to any sensory delight including singing, playing an instrument, swimming, dancing, skiing, or eating delicious food. That is, if the emphasis is on the sensory enjoyment of a meal (even if prepared by a family member or given as a gift) score as aesthetics.
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g.
Serenity—References to carefree childhood, no worries, freedom from cares or stress.
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h.
Skill Mastery—References to learning a new subject, studying very well, mastering a course like mathematics, learning to ride a bike, etc. The emphasis is on mastery, not on praise or winning a competition or award.
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a.
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Ho, M.Y., Chen, S.X., Hoffman, E. et al. Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Adults’ Childhood Recollections: How are Peak-Experiences Described in China and Portugal?. J Happiness Stud 14, 185–197 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9323-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9323-9