Role of Culture in the formation and maintainance of relationships

•How would you feel if your parents picked your boyfriend / girlfriend?

•How would you feel if your parents picked your boyfriend / girlfriend?

•How about if they insisted on picking the person you marry?

•Might there be any advantages to arranged marriages?

Arranged Marraiges

•Now read page 430 of Gross’ chapter on Interpersonal Relationships.

•Make some short notes.

•Now read pages 278 and 279 of the Course Companion and answer the questions.

Buss (1994)

•Read the handout on Buss’ cross-cultural study of relationships.

•Write a yellow study sheet on Buss (1994).

Cultural Differences in Relationships

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Cultural Differences in Relationships• Individualist and collectivist cultures research:-

▫ Goodwin (1995 )▫ Romantic love (Levine et al. 1995 )▫ Voluntary and involuntary relationships (Shaver et al., 1991 )

found that Chinese attitude to romantic love is that it causes pain and sorrow rather than excitement and satisfaction.

▫ Romantic love valued more in the US and Germany than Japan (Simmons et al. 1986)

▫ Moghaddam (1993) • Differences found by this and other research:-

INDIVIDUALISTTICINDIVIDUALISTTIC Based on romantic love (on Based on romantic love (on

being in love. Individual chooses being in love. Individual chooses partner. (Levine et al 1995)partner. (Levine et al 1995)

Love seen as essential to a Love seen as essential to a happy marriage.happy marriage.

In general people have a large In general people have a large number of superficial number of superficial friendshipsfriendships..

COLLECTIVISTCOLLECTIVIST Arranged by family on basis of Arranged by family on basis of

social status. (Levine et al 1995)social status. (Levine et al 1995) Romantic love not seen as basis Romantic love not seen as basis

for a decision to marry.for a decision to marry. In general people have fewer but In general people have fewer but

very close friendships. (Goodwin very close friendships. (Goodwin 1995)1995)

Evaluation of Cross Cultural Studies

Comparisons are rather simplistic. The divide between collectivist and individualistic cultures is rather crude and the differences are not entirely clear-cut. E.g. Even in cultures in which marriages are arranged there is some degree of individual choice ( they are not forced marriages) and in individualistic societies parents and social groups do have a strong (if more subtle) influence on peoples choice of spouse.

Cross-cultural research is riddled with problems. It is very difficult for psychologists from one culture to appreciate the complexities of another culture.

They tend to concentrate on the relationship of the couple (a western view) but ignore kinship (family relationships) which are extremely important in collectivist societies, therefore they present a biased view.

Other Cultural Variations• Physical attributes (Long necked ‘Karen’ Tribe women China small feet etc)

• Cross-cultural differences in preference for female body shape▫ Anderson et al. (1992)

heavy women are preferred to slender women in the great majority of cultures where food supply is unreliable

• Monogamy and polygamy