Are emotions socially constructed?

Thanks for sharing this article, Robert. I got a copy of the book this article is inspired by. I have been researching the cross-cultural variation in the complex emotions of embarrassment and shame and would support the claim that (relation-conscious) emotions are socially constructed, though we can study these emotions at multiple levels that interconnect. Mequita states about emotions: "The experience and expression, the associated physiological and neural response patterns, and the moral connotations and social consequences are different across instances, individuals, interactions, relationships, and of course, cultures." I think that more insight into this topic can assist Bible translators in dealing with emotion-laden language. The popular use of euphemisms in referring to taboo topics seems partly inspired by a desire to avoid negative emotions. I have often noticed how discussing the translation of taboo-related language in a multicultural team can be challenging at times, and this book (despite the critical questions in the article) offers some helpful insight.