Self-Construal and Nonverbal Emotional Expressivity: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between Korea and Japan

Nonverbal emotional expressivity is a central component of interpersonal communication and cultural psychology. It reflects how emotions are conveyed through facial expressions, gestures, and other nonverbal channels. Previous cross-cultural research has often contrasted Western individualism with Eastern collectivism, overlooking meaningful cultural variation within East Asia. Although both Korea and Japan share collectivistic orientations, they differ substantially in their emotion socialization practices and interpersonal norms. The SOA (Subjective, Objective, Autonomous) model of self-construal conceptualizes three dimensions: the Subjective Self (SS) reflects active self-expression in interpersonal contexts, the Objective Self (OS) reflects sensitivity to others’ evaluations, and the Autonomous Self (AS) reflects self-determination based on internal values. This model provides a useful framework for examining how cultural differences relate to nonverbal emotional expressivity. In this study, we hypothesized that (H1) Korean participants would report higher SS and Affective Communication Test (ACT) scores than Japanese participants, (H2) SS would positively predict ACT in Korea but not in Japan, and (H3) OS would be negatively associated with ACT. A total of 388 undergraduates (Korea: n = 199; Japan: n = 189) completed the Self-Construal Scale and the ACT. Correlation, independent-samples t-test, and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Results supported H1 and H2 but not H3. SS predicted higher expressivity only among Korean participants, while OS showed no significant association with ACT. Koreans scored higher on SS, AS, and ACT, whereas Japanese participants scored higher on OS. These findings indicate that Korea reflects expressive collectivism that emphasizes emotional sharing to strengthen intimacy, whereas Japan reflects restrained collectivism that values emotional moderation to preserve harmony. This distinction refines cross-cultural theory by highlighting intra-East Asian diversity in self-construal and emotional expression, and underscores the importance of considering cultural nuances when interpreting emotional behaviors.