A latest Victoria University of Wellington study found that some people avoid feeling extremely happy because they believe that it could lead to unfortunate consequences and outweigh the benefits of positive feelings.
This is the first study to analyse why there is a particular aversion to happiness and why different cultures react differently to feelings of happiness and contentment.
"One of these cultural phenomena is that, for some individuals, happiness is not a supreme value," Mohsen Joshanloo said in a press release.
The New Zealand psychologists said that being brought up in a culture that does not value happiness could persuade a person to shun away from it. The researchers found a certain amount of loathing for happiness both in Western and non-Western cultures but discovered that it was more valued in the West.
In American society, happiness is considered to be one of the most important life values. Their culture constantly focuses on maximizing happiness and minimizing sadness. A positive psychology and increasing research on subjective well-being reflect the culture of Americans.
In non-Western cultures, happiness is less valued. The principles of harmony and traditionalism are at conflict with the pursuit of personal happiness and individualistic values.
For example, previous studies showed that East Asians are more likely to think that it is inappropriate to express happiness in social situations than westerners. Similarly, Japanese are less likely to enjoy positive emotions than Americans.
In both western and non-western countries, the experts found that some people recoil from enjoying happiness as they fear they might be seen in a bad light and regarded as a selfish or shallow human being.
Whereas people in Iran and neighboring countries worry that their peers, a person with an 'evil eye' or some other "supernatural deity" might bear a grudge against their happiness and eventually lead them to suffering severe consequences.
"Many individuals and cultures do tend to be averse to some forms of happiness, especially when taken to the extreme, for many different reasons," the researchers conclude. "Some of the beliefs about the negative consequences of happiness seem to be exaggerations, often spurred by superstition or timeless advice on how to enjoy a pleasant or prosperous life. However, considering the inevitable individual differences in regards to even dominant cultural trends, no culture can be expected to unanimously hold any of these beliefs."
The finding is published in Springer's Journal of Happiness Studies.
