VERBAL, EMOTIONAL, AND EVALUATIVE COMPONENTS IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS: A cross-cultural comparison between Germany, Greece, and Hong Kong (China)

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1 VERBAL, EMOTIONAL, AND EVALUATIVE COMPONENTS IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS: A cross-cultural comparison between Germany, Greece, and Hong Kong (China) Maria-Ioanna Argiropoulou, Vassilis Pavlopoulos Department of Psychology, University of Athens, Greece Lau Grace Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKSAR Manfred Hassebrauck Bergische Universitaet Wuppertal, Germany Paper presented at the IV Latin American Regional Congress of Cross-Cultural Psychology, July 6-9, 2007, Mexico City, Mexico

2 Definitions Verbal components: Evaluative components: Emotional components:

3 Definitions Verbal components: Evaluative components: Emotional components: Trust

4 Definitions Verbal components: Evaluative components: Verbal expression Criticalness Intimacy (verbal) Emotional components: Trust

5 Definitions Verbal components: Verbal expression Criticalness Intimacy Evaluative components: Satisfaction Commitment Emotional components: Trust

6 Definitions Verbal components: Verbal expression Criticalness Intimacy Evaluative components: Satisfaction Commitment Emotional components: Trust

7 Research Questions Compare the level of agreement between German, Greek and Chinese participants across verbal, emotional and evaluative dimensions of close relationships. Explore the links between verbal communication, trust and evaluation in close relationships across countries. Identify patterns of successful and unsuccessful couples.

8 Demographic Characteristics of Participants Country (Ν) N of couples Relationship length (yrs) Mean Age (yrs) mean Family Status % Hong Kong (Ν=64) 32 7,1 28,06 Greece (Ν=168) 84 7,3 30,35 Germany (Ν=110) 55 2,71 25,20 Single: 65,6 Married: 21,9 Cohabit.: 9,4 Single: 51,2 Married: 41,7 Cohabit.: 6,0 Single: 54,5 Married: 5,5 Cohabit.: 25,5

9 Measures Brief Loquaciousness and Interpersonal 8 items (α =.71) Responsiveness Test (BLIRT; Swann & Rentfrow, 2001) Interpersonal Qualities Scale 7 items (α =.61) (Murray, Holmes & Griffin, 1996) Intimacy Scale 4 items (α =.82) (Swann, De La Ronde & Hixon, 1994) Trust Scale 17 items (α =.85) (Rempel, Holmes & Zanna, 1985) Marital Satisfaction Scale 7 items (α =.78) (Azrin, Naster & Jones, Χάιντς, 1997) Future Commitment 2 items (r =.90) (Swann, De La Ronde & Hixon, 1994)

10 Results Question 1 Compare the level of agreement between German, Greek and Chinese participants across verbal, emotional and evaluative components of close relationships Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) IV: Country Controlling for: Relationship length

11 Mean ( z-scores) Mean scores of Verbal, Emotional & Evaluative components in Hong Kong, Greece and Germany 0,4 b Hong Kong Greece Germany 0,2 0 b b a b b a,b b b b -0,2 a -0,4-0,6 a Verbal Expression Criticalness a a a Intimacy Trust Commitment Satisfaction

12 Means (z-scores) Interaction of country by gender on Criticalness 0,6 Male Female 0,4 0,2 0-0,2-0,4 Hong Kong Greece Germany Country

13 Question 1: Summary of Findings The Greeks and Germans displayed a more positive profile in comparison to participants from Hong Kong; the latter revealed lower levels of verbal expression, intimacy, trust and satisfaction, as well as higher levels of criticalness. Collectivistic cultures tend to focus on the painful aspects of love and are relatively less likely to equate love with contentment or happiness (Jackson, Chen, Guo & Gao, 2006). The cultural dimension of social axioms Dynamic Externality is related to a preference for status compared to mutual attraction in selecting a mate (Bond et al., 2004).

14 Question 1: Summary of Findings Chinese women are more critical than their partners. In contrast, Greek men are more critical than Greek women, while in Germany both men and women reported an equal amount of criticalness. However, no cross-cultural differences were found in the levels of commitment reported.

15 Findings Question 2 Explore the links between verbal communication, trust and evaluation in close relationships across countries. Pearson product-moment coefficients

16 Pearson correlation coefficients between verbal, emotional, and evaluative components in close relationships Female Male BLIRT CRIT INTIM TRUST COMM SAT BLIRT CRIT INTIM TRUST COMM SAT p<.10; * p<.05; ** p<.01; ***p<.001

17 Pearson correlation coefficients between verbal, emotional, and evaluative components in close relationships (Hong Kong, n=32 couples) Female Male BLIRT CRIT INTIM TRUST COMM SAT BLIRT.09 CRIT -.01 INTIM.52** TRUST.33 COMM.56*** SAT.36* p<.10; * p<.05; ** p<.01; ***p<.001

18 Pearson correlation coefficients between verbal, emotional, and evaluative components in close relationships (Greece, n=84 couples) Female Male BLIRT CRIT INTIM TRUST COMM SAT BLIRT.08 CRIT -.07 INTIM.48*** TRUST.47*** COMM.54*** SAT.46*** p<.10; * p<.05; ** p<.01; ***p<.001

19 Pearson correlation coefficients between verbal, emotional, and evaluative components in close relationships (Germany, n=55 couples) Female Male BLIRT CRIT INTIM TRUST COMM SAT BLIRT -.14 CRIT -.20 INTIM.60*** TRUST.54*** COMM.36** SAT.52*** p<.10; * p<.05; ** p<.01; ***p<.001

20 Pearson correlation coefficients of male verbal expression and criticism with female emotional and evaluative components Female INTIM TRUST COMM SAT Male HK BLIRT CRIT Greece BLIRT.31** *** CRIT Germany BLIRT.29*.25.36**.24 p<.10; * p<.05; ** p<.01; ***p<.001 CRIT

21 Pearson correlation coefficients of female verbal expression and criticism with male emotional and evaluative components Male INTIM TRUST COMM SAT Female HK BLIRT CRIT ** Greece BLIRT.22* * CRIT Germany BLIRT p<.10; * p<.05; ** p<.01; ***p<.001 CRIT *

22 Question 2: Summary of Findings A reciprocal effect was detected on emotional and evaluative components of close relationships between the two partners. However, this was not true in the case of verbal components. Male criticalness was not related to any of the female variables in any of the three countries. Female criticalness was negatively related to all male variables in China and to trust and satisfaction in Germany. In Greece, however, a similar pattern of correlations was not found. It is generally more accepted for men to be critical. Relationships are negatively affected by female criticalness.

23 Question 2: Summary of Findings The more men express themselves verbally, the more intimacy and satisfaction is reported by women in Greece and Germany. Moreover, under this condition German women report higher level of commitment. In contrast, male verbal expression did not relate to any of female emotional or evaluative components in Hong Kong. The more Greek women express themselves verbally, the higher the satisfaction and intimacy reported by Greek men. In Germany and Hong Kong female verbal expression did not have a significant impact on men.

24 Findings Question 3 Identify patterns of successful and unsuccessful couples. Cluster analysis (Ward method)

25 mean (z-scores) Man-more-verbally-inhibited couple profile (n = 10.5%) 0,8 0,4 0-0,4-0,8-1,2-1,6-2 VERB VERB CRIT CRIT INTIM INTIM TRUST TRUST COMM COMM SATISF SATISF

26 mean (z-scores) Woman-more-verbally-inhibited couple profile (n = 36.8%) 0,4 0,2-0 -0,2-0,4-0,6 VERB VERB CRIT CRIT INTIM INTIM TRUST TRUST COMM COMM SATISF SATISF

27 mean (z-scores) Man-more-critical couple profile (n = 36.3%) 0,6 0,4 0,2 0-0,2 VERB VERB CRIT CRIT INTIM INTIM TRUST TRUST COMM COMM SATISF SATISF

28 mean (z-scores) Partners-equal / Positive communication profile (n = 16.4%) 1,2 0,8 0,4 0-0,4-0,8-1,2 VERB VERB CRIT CRIT INTIM INTIM TRUST TRUST COMM COMM SATISF SATISF

29 Question 3: Summary of Findings The most positive couple profile is identified when both partners express themselves verbally without being too critical. The couple profile remains positive when men are critical, yet women talk about their feelings and thoughts. In conclusion, when both partners express themselves verbally, the relationship has positive outcomes even if men are critical.

30 Question 3: Summary of Findings When men are too critical and women do not express themselves verbally, the relationship pattern tends to be negative. The most negative couple profile is detected when women are more talkative and, at the same time, more critical than men.

31 Limitations and suggestions for future research Country samples differed in size and in some demographic characteristics (e.g., relationship length). Replication of the findings with larger and more representative samples is suggested. Further investigation is necessary in order to understand how the factors that contribute to the development of positive or negative relationship patterns are formed.

32 iay qué trabajo me cuesta quererte como te quiero! (oh, what an effort it is to love you as I do!) Federico García Lorca

33 Corresponding authors and addresses Maria-Ioanna Argiropoulou Vassilis Pavlopoulos Lau Grace Manfred Hassebrauck Thank you very much for your attention!!!

34 References Azrin, N. H., Naster, B. J. & Jones, R. (1973). Reciprocity Counseling: A rapid learningbased procedure for marital counseling. Journal of Behav. Research & Therapy, Vol. 11, Bond, M. H., Leung, K., Au, A., Tong, K., de Carrasquel, S. R., et al. (2004). Culture-level dimensions of social axioms and their correlates across 41 cultures. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 35 (5), Jackson, T., Chen, H., Guo, C. & Gao, X., (2006).Stories We Love By: Conceptions of Love Among Couples From the People s Republic of China and the United States. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 37 (4), Murray, S. L., Holmes, J. G., & Griffin, D. W.(1996). The benefits of positive illusions: Idealization and the construction of satisfaction in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, Rempel, J.K., Holmes, J. G & Zanna, M.P., (1985). Trust in Close Relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 49 (1), Swann, W. B., Jr., & De La Ronde, C., & Hixon, J. G. (1994). Authenticity and positivity strivings in marriage and courtship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, Swann,W. B., Jr., Rentfrow, P. J., (2001). Blirtatiousness: Cognitive, behavioral and physiological consequences of rapid responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol.81,

Dimensions of relationship quality

Personal Relationships, 9 (2002), 253 270. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright # 2002 ISSPR. 1350-4126/02 Dimensions of relationship quality MANFRED HASSEBRAUCK a AND BEVERLEY FEHR b a Bergische