Conceptual similarities and differences between sadness and “setsunasa”

"Setsunasa" is one of the typical emotions in Japan and is an important concept that contributes to the construct of sadness. However, it remains unclear to what extent these two concepts are similar, and whether "setsunasa" possesses unique characteristics that distinguish it from sadness. This study examined the conceptual similarities and differences between sadness and setsunasa through three surveys. Study 1 employed features associated with sadness, and Study 2 used functional words related to sadness to investigate differences in ratings between sadness and setsunasa. Study 3 focused on actual emotional experiences, examining the intensity of emotions depending on the context, as well as their relationships with other emotional concepts and states related to sadness. The results of the three studies indicated that sadness and setsunasa share similarities but also exhibit notable differences. The findings suggest, furthermore, that sadness is predominantly characterized as a negative emotion, whereas setsunasa possesses qualities of a mixed emotion. Further investigation of setsunasa may elucidate the cultural characteristics of emotional experiences among the Japanese people.