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Paper short abstract

This paper examines irritation as an embodied appraisal in Shanghai social life. Drawing on ethnography, it shows how irritation—felt at boundary intrusions or in judging “jiao qing”—acts as an early warning sign that redirects attention, enabling intentional reflection before action.

Paper long abstract

Irritation, a subtle yet pervasive social emotion, offers a window into how people navigate ambiguous interpersonal situations. Based on twelve months of ethnographic research in Shanghai, this paper examines irritation as an embodied and cognitive process that becomes salient in moments of social friction. Rather than treating irritation as a minor annoyance or a precursor to anger, I approach it as a patterned mode of appraisal that redirects attention and reshapes intentionality.

I argue that irritation signals the need for heightened awareness without immediately committing a person to reaction. In these transitional moments, individuals shift from intuitive, automatic modes of engagement to more deliberate forms of interpretation. Through close analysis of sensations, expectations, and micro-judgments, irritation reveals how people make sense of others’ intentions and calibrate their own responses.

Drawing on culturally specific case studies, I focus on two recurrent themes. The first involves irritation arising when one’s personal boundary—physical, emotional, or temporal—is breached, highlighting culturally mediated understandings of self-space. The second examines the Chinese notion of jiao qing, in which irritation emerges from perceiving another as emotionally performative or insincere. This phenomenon exposes moral emotions tied to authenticity, intention, and relational propriety. Across these examples, irritation appears not as a failure of emotional regulation but as a productive buffer zone. It allows individuals to draw on cultural discourses, reassess social cues, and crystallize intentions before action. By foregrounding this intermediate emotional state, the paper contributes to broader discussions of embodiment, intersubjectivity, and moral attunement in everyday social life.