The notion that cultures may vary in their perceptions of universal
emotions is theoretically plausible. Universal emotions do exist, as originally
postulated by Darwin (1872) and Tomkins (1962, 1963) and as documented
by previous studies. But cultures may also influence the rate of recognition.
For example, cultures may exert particular sanctions against recognizing or
acknowledging some emotions, such as anger or disgust. This would result
in the less accurate recognition of these emotions, in relation to other cultures.