The cultural perspectives of interpersonal attraction vary across cultures. Cross-cultural studies reveal that culture has a significant influence on an individual’s behavior. For instance, research on cross-cultural models of romantic love has shown a discrepancy in the features of these models across cultures. In one study, a cross-cultural evaluation was done across five different cultures. The research focused on characteristics of romantic love such as emotional fulfillment, sexual attraction, and altruism. The study aimed to determine how individuals from different cultural groups conceptualize romantic love. Two of the five cultures were particularly compared.
Surveys were done across the five cultures, and statistical data was recorded. The responses from individuals across the cultures indicated a disparity in how individuals perceive romantic love. For instance, 69% of South Koreans agreed with the statement, "I will do anything for the person I love (lover)." In contrast, only 46% of Chinese participants agreed with this statement (Nelson & Yon, 2018). This means that fewer Chinese respondents consider altruism as a vital characteristic of romantic love. Also, most Koreans seemed to disagree with the notion that romantic love should remain forever. However, more Chinese participants agreed with this perception.
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The research findings help to make some informed conclusions on how cultures conceptualize romantic love. Sexual attraction and altruism are generally considered to be essential components of romantic love (Nelson & Yon, 2018). Also, the perception of romantic love as temporary and unreal vary across cultures. Some individuals perceive it as an irrational feeling that can cause harm.
Culture has a significant influence on how individuals perceive romantic love. For instance, in most cultures, men are trained to separate sex and love, while women are expected to link the two. This means that men can have sexual attraction towards a woman, yet he is not in love with her (Karandashev, 2015). Individualism and collectivism may also affect how individuals perceive romantic love. In an individualistic society, self-sufficiency is desired (Hofstede, 2011), and this has the potential to impact romantic relationships negatively. In a collectivistic culture, romantic relationships may thrive because altruism is considered a significant cultural value. Individualism and collectivism, therefore, influence the social behavior of individuals, and this significantly impacts how people experience romantic love.
References
Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing cultures: The Hofstede model in context. Online readings in psychology and culture, 2(1), 8.
Karandashev, V. (2015). A cultural perspective on romantic love. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 5(4), 2.
Nelson, A. J., & Yon, K. J. (2018). Core and Peripheral Features of the Cross-Cultural Model of Romantic Love. Cross-Cultural Research, 1069397118813306.
