Research into the Influence of Culture on Romantic Relationships

1. How does collectivist cultures affect whether a relationship is voluntary or non-voluntary?

This culture tends to live in less urbanised settings so there's less choice in whom they interact with due to geographical isolation and lack of social mobility making relationships more non-voluntary
Individuals in this culture are taught to be independent, so their opinion is important in deciding who they have a relationship with
This culture tends to live in a urbanised setting where they are likely to meet lots of people in a voluntary way
Individuals are taught to interdependent and relationships should be for the greater good of the community so their community is more likely to have an opinion in whom they have a relationship with

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Cross cultural study in which individuals were asked whether the would marry a stranger if they had desirable characteristics, 15% of those in US said yes whereas 35% in Thailand said yes
Cross cultural study in which individuals were asked whether the would marry a stranger if they had desirable characteristics, 14% of those in US said yes whereas 34% in Thailand said yes
Cross cultural study in which individuals were asked whether the would marry a stranger if they had desirable characteristics, 17% of those in US said yes whereas 37% in Thailand said yes
Cross cultural study in which individuals were asked whether the would marry a stranger if they had desirable characteristics, 34% of those in US said yes whereas 14% in Thailand said yes

women in love marriages were more positive about their relationship than those in arranged marriages
Those in arranged marriages were more satisfied with there relationship than those in American love marriages
those in arranged marriages were just as satisfied with their relationship as those in love marriages

Only 1 out of 108 hunter-gatherer communities showed no signs of love
In Chinese university students both males and females were equally romantic and Anglo-Australian males were more causal and less romantic than their female counterparts
88% of cultures showed signs of love