This　paper　tested　the　impact　of　culture　on　the　basic　structure　of　affect.　It　examined　positive　affect　and　negative　affect　at　three　levels　of　activation　in　the　U.S.　and　China.　It　used　a　well-suited　tool,　the　bifactor　model,　to　separate　the　common　variance　shared　by　all　types　of　affect　from　the　variance　unique　to　each.　The　findings　indicate　that　the　structure　of　affect　is　different　cross-culturally.　In　the　U.S.,　the　most　fundamental　dimension　is　defined　by　moderate　activation　of　positive　affect　and　negative　affect,　which　is　the　largely　bipolar　dimension　of　pleasure-displeasure,　whereas　in　China,　it　is　defined　by　moderate　activation　of　positive　affect　only,　which　is　pleasure.　In　both　cultures,　negative　affect　across　levels　of　activation　forms　another　important　dimension.　Beyond　these　basic　dimensions,　secondary　dimensions　are　also　identified　in　both　cultures:　high　activation　positive　affect,　low　activation　positive　affect,　and　low　activation　negative　affect.　They　form　relatively　weak　unique　factors,　independent　of　the　two　basic　dimensions,　suggesting　that　they　are　largely　mixtures　of　the　basic　dimensions.　©　2015,　Springer　Science+Business　Media　Dordrecht.