This theoretical study explores how culture shapes the way humans experience and express the six basic emotions—happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust. Drawing on evidence from experimental and cross-cultural research, it examines the complex relationship between universal emotional processes and cultural influences. The findings suggest that while basic emotions are innate and grounded in shared psychophysiological and neural mechanisms, their outward expressions are deeply affected by cultural norms, traditions, and values. Facial expressions of emotion, for instance, are present in all societies but appear differently from one culture to another. Comparisons between Western, East Asian, and African communities highlight how cultural contexts guide when and how emotions are shown. Overall, this study emphasizes that culture does not erase the universality of basic emotions but shapes the unique ways in which they manifest across human societies.