Janteloven and the Expression of Pride in Norway and the United States

Abstract

The current study tested how culture may affect the interpretation of the expression of pride among Norwegian and U.S. participants. Our results show that participants from Norway ascribed more negative trait attributions to a target person expressing pride than U.S. participants. It is proposed that Janteloven is responsible for the differences in these trait attributions, and we interpret the results from a “closed-system” and “open-system” (Mayr, 1976) perspective.

Keywords:

• culture
• emotions
• Jante’s law
• Janteloven
• Norway
• pride

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gregg Bromgard

Gregg Bromgard is affiliated with the Department of Social Sciences, Southern University at New Orleans.

David Trafimow

David Trafimow is affiliated with New Mexico State University.

Christopher Linn

Christopher Linn is affiliated with the Southern University at New Orleans.