In a social situation, an American may display anger outwardly by shouting or banging on a table, but a Japanese person may not show anger outwardly at all and remain calm. This is an example of

• A. the James-Lange theory of emotion.
• B. the common sense theory of emotion.
• C. display rules.
• D. the Yerkes-Dodson law.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the key concept being tested in the problem, which is the difference in emotional expression between cultures.
2. Understand that 'display rules' refer to the cultural norms that dictate how emotions should be expressed in different social situations.
3. Recognize that the problem describes a scenario where cultural norms influence how emotions are displayed, with Americans showing anger outwardly and Japanese individuals remaining calm.
4. Differentiate 'display rules' from other theories mentioned: the James-Lange theory (which focuses on physiological responses to emotions), the common sense theory (which suggests emotions lead to physiological responses), and the Yerkes-Dodson law (which relates arousal to performance).
5. Conclude that the scenario is best explained by 'display rules,' as it highlights cultural differences in emotional expression rather than physiological or performance-related aspects.