Pride is a complex self-conscious emotion that is linked with social status. As pride is also recognized for evoking undesired social consequences under certain contexts, individuals may decide to inhibit their pride. Although our understanding of the significance of pride displays is increasing, we know little about possible sources of variation in how it is displayed. I examined variation in pride displays across social context, ethnic heritage, and gender in an experiment where participants were video-recorded while describing an experience of pride in one of three social context conditions: a competitor, a loved one, or a stranger. Videos were coded for verbal and nonverbal displays of pride. Although there were no differences in pride displays by social context condition, ethnic variation was observed. Asian Americans described their pride experiences both less emotionally and less vividly than European Americans. Latino/a/x Americans described their pride experiences less vividly than European Americans. Gender differences were also observed. Women described their pride experiences with more emotion and intensity than did men. Discussion focuses on integrating these findings into the broader understanding of pride and considering future directions for the study of this important positive emotion with distinct implications for interpersonal relationships.

A person’s sociocultural background informs their values in ways that shape emotion and behavior. Social status and ethnic heritage are two aspects of sociocultural background that shape the relative priority that individuals place on the needs of the self versus the needs of others. This shaping is likely relevant to the experience of academic achievement. Those who come from lower educational status and ethnic backgrounds that are highly attuned to the needs of others, such as status shifting first-generation college students from ethnic minority backgrounds, must manage emotions and behaviors in university environments where the dominant norms prioritize the needs of the self. Across five studies, I examined the possibility of variation in emotions and behavior in the context of academic achievement among samples of varying status shifting (e.g., first-generation college students) or ethnic heritage backgrounds.

In Study 1, I used qualitative methodology to first explore how a sample of first-generation college students of mostly Latino/a/x heritage experience emotions and capitalize on (i.e., share) their academic achievements. Building on Study 1, Studies 2-5 took a comparative approach and examined whether emotions and sharing behaviors in the context of academic achievement differed based on status shifting (comparing first-generation to continuing-generation college students) or ethnic culture (comparing individuals of European, Latino/a/x, and Asian heritage). Across all studies, there were no differences in pride, but differences in gratitude emerged based on ethnic culture. Latino/a/x, and in some social contexts Asian, Americans reported more feelings of gratitude compared to European Americans. Behavioral sharing differences also emerged based on the experience of status shifting and ethnic heritage. First-generation college students shared less than continuing-generation college students in some contexts, as did Latino/a/x and sometimes Asian Americans compared to European Americans. Across the five studies, the sharing behaviors reported by first-generation college students and individuals of Latino/a/x and Asian heritage may be indicative of capitalization regulation, a term that I introduce to capture the thoughtful consideration of how and with whom one shares good news across social contexts. These studies provide insight into the ways that two important sociocultural factors, social status and ethnic heritage, play a role in how emotions and behavior are managed across different social worlds.