Emotional Expression Survey Analysis

My research topic: Emotional Expression Among Young People

Target: Japanese and International Young Adults

Number of respondents: 55

Participant breakdown:

• Japanese participants: 26
• International participants: 29
• Female participants: 32
• Male participants: 23

Summary

Participants answered questions about emotional expression, social support, loneliness, asking for help, and the influence of culture and social media. The goal of the survey was to explore how comfortable young people are with expressing their emotions and whether there are differences between Japanese and international participants.

Results

Graph #1 – Talking About Personal Problems with Friends

Graph #1 shows how often participants talk about personal problems with friends. Most respondents chose 4 (often), with 40.0% selecting this answer. Another 32.7% chose 3 (sometimes), while 14.5% chose 5 (very often). Only 12.7% selected 2 (rarely), and nobody selected 1 (never).

These results show that most participants talk about their personal problems with friends at least sometimes. This suggests that friends are an important source of support for many young people. It is also interesting that no one answered "never."

Graph #2 – Who Participants Talk to First on a Very Bad Day

Graph #2 shows who participants are most likely to talk to first when they are having a very bad day. The most common answer was friend, chosen by 70.9% of participants. This was followed by parent (34.5%) and partner (27.3%). However, 14.5% of respondents said they would talk to nobody.

The results suggest that friends play a very important role in emotional support. This is not surprising because young people often spend a lot of time with their friends. A more interesting result is that some participants said they would talk to nobody when they are having a difficult day. This may mean that some people prefer to deal with problems on their own.

Graph #3 – Fear of Being Judged for Showing Emotions

Graph #3 shows whether participants worry that people will judge them if they show their emotions. The most common answer was 3 (neutral), chosen by 32.7% of respondents. Both 2 and 4 were selected by 25.5% of participants. Only 5.5% strongly agreed, while 10.9% strongly disagreed.

These results suggest that opinions are mixed. Many participants were unsure or had moderate feelings about being judged for showing emotions. However, a noticeable number of respondents agreed that they worry about being judged, which may make it harder for them to express their feelings openly.

Graph #4 – Which Emotion Is Hardest to Express?

Graph #4 shows which emotion participants find the hardest to express. The most common answer was loneliness, selected by 36.4% of respondents. This was followed by anger (20.0%), sadness (18.2%), and stress (16.4%). Only a small number of participants selected love/affection or happiness.

This is a very interesting result because loneliness was the clear winner. Even though people may be surrounded by friends or family, many still find it difficult to admit that they feel lonely. It is also interesting that happiness was one of the least selected emotions. This suggests that positive emotions are generally easier to express than negative ones.

Graph #5 – Pretending Everything Is Fine

Graph #5 shows whether participants pretend that everything is fine when it is not. The most common answers were 2 and 4, both chosen by 29.1% of respondents. Another 23.6% selected 3 (neutral), while 10.9% strongly agreed and 7.3% strongly disagreed.

These results show that many participants sometimes pretend that they are okay even when they are struggling. The answers were quite mixed, but overall, more people agreed than disagreed. This suggests that hiding emotions is fairly common among young people.

Graph #6 – Asking for Help

Graph #6 shows how comfortable participants are asking for help when they are struggling. The most common answer was 2, selected by 36.4% of respondents. Another 29.1% chose 3, while 20.0% selected 4. Only 3.6% strongly agreed, and 10.9% strongly disagreed.

These results suggest that many participants are not completely comfortable asking for help. Most answers were in the middle or on the lower side of the scale. This may mean that although young people have people they can talk to, asking for help can still feel difficult. This is interesting because it shows that having support and actually seeking support are not always the same thing.

Graph #7 – Dealing with Problems Alone

Graph #7 shows whether participants feel like they deal with their problems alone. The most common answer was 4, chosen by 32.7% of respondents. Another 30.9% selected 2, while 25.5% chose 3 (neutral). Only 1.8% strongly agreed.

The results are quite mixed. Some participants feel that they deal with their problems alone, while others do not. However, it is interesting that many respondents selected 4, suggesting that a number of young people often feel they have to handle their problems by themselves.

Graph #8 – Expressing Emotions Online

Graph #8 shows whether participants express their emotions more online than in real life. The most common answer was 1, selected by 43.6% of respondents. Another 21.8% chose 2, while only 7.3% strongly agreed.

These results suggest that most participants do not use the internet as their main way of expressing emotions. Rather than sharing their feelings online, many people seem to prefer expressing emotions in person or keeping them private. This is interesting because social media is often seen as a place where people share their thoughts and feelings. However, the results show that most respondents do not feel more comfortable expressing emotions online than in real life.

Graph #9 – When Was the Last Time You Cried?

Graph #9 shows when participants last cried. The most common answer was this month (23.6%). This was followed by within the last year (21.8%), I don't remember (20.0%), this week (18.2%), and more than a year ago (16.4%).

The results are quite balanced, with no single answer standing out strongly. However, it is interesting that many participants had cried recently, either within the last week or month. This suggests that crying is a normal emotional experience for many young people.

Graph #10 – Which Statement Describes You Best?

Graph #10 shows how participants describe their emotional expression. Most respondents (63.6%) said that they share emotions only with close people. Another 18.2% said they rarely share emotions, while 14.5% said they openly share their emotions. Only a very small number of participants said they almost never share emotions.

These results suggest that most young people are willing to talk about their feelings, but only with people they trust. Very few participants said they openly share emotions with everyone. This shows that trust is important when it comes to expressing emotions.

Graph #11 – Feeling Lonely Around Other People

Graph #11 shows whether participants have ever felt lonely even when surrounded by other people. The most common answer was sometimes (40.0%), followed by rarely (32.7%). Smaller numbers chose often (12.7%), never (9.1%), and very often (5.5%).

These results show that feeling lonely is a common experience. Even though people may have friends, family, or classmates around them, they can still feel lonely at times. It is interesting that only a small number of participants said they never experience this feeling. This suggests that loneliness is something many young people experience at least occasionally.

Graph #12 – Which Environment Makes You Feel Most Comfortable Expressing Emotions?

Graph #12 shows where participants feel most comfortable expressing their emotions. The most common answer was home (40.0%), followed closely by with friends (38.2%). Smaller numbers of participants selected school/university (9.1%) and nowhere in particular (7.3%), while very few chose online or work.

These results suggest that people are most comfortable expressing their emotions in environments where they feel safe and supported. Home and friends were by far the most popular answers.

Graph #13 – "The Emotion I Hide Most Often Is..."

Question #17 was an open-ended question, which means participants could write any answer they wanted. The most common responses were loneliness (10 responses), anxiety (7 responses), and sadness (7 responses).

This question provided some of the most valuable insights in the survey because participants were able to describe their feelings in their own words. At the same time, the data was quite messy and required some cleaning. Many participants used different words to describe similar emotions, and several responses were written in Japanese. Because of this, it was sometimes difficult to find the most suitable English translation for certain feelings.

Despite these challenges, the results were very rewarding. The fact that loneliness, anxiety, and sadness appeared most often supports the findings from earlier questions and suggests that these are emotions many young people find difficult to express openly. The open responses also added a more personal side to the survey that could not be captured through multiple-choice questions alone.

Question #18 – If You Could Change One Thing About How People Express Emotions in Your Culture, What Would It Be?

Question #18 was an open-ended question and produced some of the most interesting responses in the entire survey. Participants were free to write anything they wanted, and although the answers were very different, several common themes appeared.

The strongest theme was that many people would like others to be more open and honest about their emotions. A lot of respondents mentioned that people often hide their true feelings, pretend everything is fine, or are afraid of being judged. Many felt that expressing emotions should be more normal and accepted in everyday life.

Another common theme was less judgment and more understanding. Several participants said they would like a culture where showing emotions is not seen as a weakness. Some specifically mentioned that men should feel more comfortable talking about their emotions and mental health without feeling embarrassed or pressured to stay strong all the time.

Many responses also highlighted the importance of kindness, empathy, and communication. Participants wanted people to listen more, care more about each other, and be more supportive. Others mentioned wanting more direct communication, more compliments, and even more physical affection such as hugs.

The Japanese responses were particularly interesting because several participants referred to ideas such as reading the room, holding back emotions, or the concept of honne and tatemae (the difference between what people truly feel and what they show in public). This suggests that some people feel pressure to hide their emotions in order to fit in with social expectations.

Overall, what surprised me most was how similar many of the responses were, even though the participants came from different cultural backgrounds. Whether they were Japanese or international students, many shared the same wish: a society where people can be more open, more honest, and less afraid of expressing how they really feel. This question was especially valuable because it gave participants the chance to explain their thoughts in their own words and provided deeper insights than the multiple-choice questions alone.

Conclusion

Overall, the survey showed that emotions are an important part of young people's lives, but expressing them is not always easy. Many participants said they feel most comfortable sharing their feelings with close friends or family, while emotions such as loneliness, sadness, and anxiety are often kept hidden.

Although the survey included both Japanese and international participants, many of their experiences were surprisingly similar. The results suggest that young people want a society where people can be more open, honest, and accepting of emotions, without fear of judgment.

 Thank you for taking the time to read my article!