Abstract
Three studies examined cultural perceptions of self-change in romantic relationships. In Study 1 (N = 191), Chinese participants perceived hypothetical couples who changed for the sake of the relationship to have better relationship quality than couples who did not, compared to European American participants. In Study 2 (N = 396), Chinese individuals in a dating relationship were more likely to perceive that they had changed in the relationship, and self-change was a stronger predictor of relationship quality for them than for American dating individuals. In Study 3 (N = 115 dyads), Chinese married couples perceived greater self-change, and their perceived self-change was due in part to higher endorsement of dutiful adjustment beliefs than American couples. Self-change was a stronger predictor of relationship quality for Chinese married couples than American couples. Our studies provide support for cultural differences in the role of self-change in romantic relationships, which have implications for partner regulation and relationship counseling across cultures.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1118-1133 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin |
Volume | 48 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2022 |
Keywords
- culture
- relationship adjustment
- romantic relationships
- self-change
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology