Cultural and sub-cultural differences in relationships

Suri women Masai nomads Indian arranged marriages Layap men and polyandry Turkish women in Germany

Cross cultural differences e=fvw :

Why do we study other cultures? Remember the ‘culture’ will be the IV What might be universal in human behaviour…suggests evolution Insight into our own behaviour Challenges the “gold standard”

How do we study other cultures? Anthropological (immersion in the culture ) So problems with control, demand characteristic, experimenter expectancy If data gathered for entertainment, can we still use it as psychological evidence? Potential biased editing

Cross cultural comparisons of relationships We have concentrated so far on western voluntary relationships but …… “Individualistic” western cultures, mobile, serial monogamy, influenced by media so focus on build up and break-down of sexual relationships. Immediate family and personal achievement, independence and competition valued. “Collectivist” eastern cultures, group goals, relationships of community and kin. Interdependence, group decisions, emphasis on cooperation

Cross cultural comparisons of relationships So… individualistic cultures personal freedom, privacy, but more separate from extended family so loneliness, divorce, depression is the price we pay Collectivist cultures less freedom, self determination and privacy, but greater support within families if things go wrong

Variations in perceptions of romantic love Dion and Dion (1988) research showed that romantic love is considered essential for marriage success in western cultures but less so in collectivist cultures Levine (1995) asked students in 11 countries “ would you marry someone if they had all the right qualities but you didn’t love them” USA (14% would), UK, Australia and Brazil – no India (24% would), Pakistan, Thailand (34% would) Romantic love is culturally universal, found in all cultures (90%) but not seen as positive or valuable in all of them See page 60 in dog book Moore and Leung (2001)

Cultural differences in loneliness Seepersad (2008) showed that culture plays a role in feelings of loneliness if not in a relationship 227 US and Korean students US students showed significantly greater levels of loneliness when not in a romantic relationship that the Koreans Koreans relied more heavily on their families for socializing where as the US students relied on their friends

Increasing urbanisation There have been changes in divorce rates in developing countries Within the Indian middle classes showing that aspirations are changing Greater mobility Wealth and freedon

Increase in “Love” matches In China, there has been a move away from traditional arranged marriages. In % of marriages were arranged but by 1990’s only 10% were arranged Xiaohe and Whyte (1990) found the women were generally happier about their marriages, regardless of the duration

Cultural bias in relationship research The measurements used may not be easily interpreted so there are problems in the validity of making comparisons. What may be considered to be “love” in western cultures may not be seen as the same thing in other cultures Very dominated by western psychologists therefore applying their own view. Need more “indigenous psychologists” to see from within?