Language-based Valence and Arousal Expressions between the United States and China: a Cross-Cultural Examination

Although affective expressions of individuals have been extensively studied using social media, research has primarily focused on the Western context. There are substantial differences among cultures that contribute to their affective expressions. This paper examines the differences between Twitter (X) in the United States and Sina Weibo posts in China on two primary dimensions of affect - valence and arousal. We study the difference in the functional relationship between arousal and valence (so-called V-shaped) among individuals in the US and China and explore the associated content differences. Furthermore, we correlate word usage and topics in both platforms to interpret their differences. We observe that for Twitter users, the variation in emotional intensity is less distinct between negative and positive emotions compared to Weibo users, and there is a sharper escalation in arousal corresponding with heightened emotions. From language features, we discover that affective expressions are associated with personal life and feelings on Twitter, while on Weibo such discussions are about socio-political topics in the society. These results suggest a West-East difference in the V-shaped relationship between valence and arousal of affective expressions on social media influenced by content differences. Our findings have implications for applications and theories related to cultural differences in affective expressions.