Self-Expansion in Intercultural Relationships: Cultural Integration as a Mechanism for the Association with Relationship Quality

Intercultural romantic relationships, in which partners have different cultural backgrounds, are increasingly common. Intercultural marriages, however, remain relatively rare, accounting for only 5% of all unions in Canada. Intercultural couples may face additional barriers in maintaining their relationships over time, including reconciling their cultural and couple identities (identity integration) and communicating effectively about cultural differences (cultural inclusion). Despite these challenges, intercultural relationships may also provide opportunities for self-expansion – novelty or growth as a result of the relationship or a partner’s culture. Across three studies we tested the prediction that self-expansion in intercultural relationships would be associated with higher relationship satisfaction and lower conflict through cultural integration processes. In Studies 1 and 2—a cross-sectional study of people in intercultural relationships (N=242) and a dyadic study of intercultural couples (N=312)—we found that self-expansion (both in general, and specific to partners’ cultures) was associated with higher relationship quality through greater integration and cultural inclusion. In Study 3—a pre-registered experimental study (N=342)–we found that although people in a cultural self-expansion group reported higher relationship satisfaction compared to a control group, cultural integration processes did not mediate this relationship. Our findings reveal that sharing cultural differences and novel experiences can be beneficial for intercultural couples, extending self-expansion theory to intercultural relationships and providing insight into the maintenance of satisfaction over time.

An Examination of Third-Party Disapproval in Intercultural Couples

Intercultural couples tend to experience a unique set of challenges associated with them, such as disapproval from close social networks. This disapproval has been associated with decreased commitment and uncertainty within couples, leading to issues of trust between partners. The influence of third-party disapproval, however, affects a romantic couple differently depending on the source of the disapproval. Few studies have examined and compared the individual influences of family and friend disapproval on romantic relationships, and even less have researched these effects on intercultural dating couples. We used archival data from 63 heterosexual couples to examine the separate influences of family and friend disapproval on romantic investment while controlling for trust, which is a key factor in successful romantic relationships. As predicted, the results of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) analyses demonstrated that family and friend disapproval negatively affected one’s investment. Mediation analyses revealed that trust only mediated the relationship between friend disapproval and relationship investment, and not family disapproval. Limitations and future implications are discussed.

Identity in the bilingual couple: Attitudes to language and culture

The article focuses on identity in bilingual couples by investigating their attitudes to language and culture. The research question asks how they make sense of their linguistic and cultural duality. Based on the data from in-depth interviews, I concentrate on the notion of identity in bilingual couplehood. I analyze excerpts of interviews produced by 24 couples of Poles with their foreign partners who reside in Poland. I investigate these couples’ talk with regard to their interpretations of identities resulting from their individual life histories and private ideologies about language and culture. My data suggest that attitudes to language and culture relate to the mutual understanding in the couple. I found evidence for differences and similarities as subjectively assessed by partners, higher metalinguistic awareness, an altered perception of one’s self and redefined national stereotypes. The results reveal that the couples’ attitudes are geared to jointly create and negotiate identities in interaction. The article views identity from a new perspective by giving voice to bilingual couples. The novelty relies on the less studied Polish context and, in general, the explicit evaluation of one’s own socialization to a different language and culture. The qualitative lens of the presented study contributes to our understanding of how individuals in intercultural couples use language to convey dual identity and accomplish social goals.

Divided Together: How Marginalization of Intercultural Relationships Is Associated With Identity Integration and Relationship Quality

Despite the growing prevalence of intercultural romantic relationships—in which partners identify with different racial, national, or religious backgrounds—people in intercultural relationships still face marginalization and disapproval from others. Relationship marginalization sends a message to couples that they do not belong together, and partners may feel that their cultural identity and their relationship are disconnected. Two studies—one study of people in intercultural relationships and one of both members of intercultural couples—showed that when people perceived greater relationship marginalization, they were more likely to separate their couple identity from their cultural identity or believe they had to choose between these identities and they were less likely to integrate these identities. Less integration and more separation between a person’s couple and cultural identities was associated with lower relationship quality for both partners. The findings suggest that marginalization can create challenges for the maintenance and quality of intercultural relationships.

Language experience of immigrant women in bilingual couples with Poles

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions: The article focuses on language experiences shared by female expatriates and aims to investigate the circumstances which are related to their language acquisition and communication in the couple. The research question concerns the degree of socialization of these women into the Polish language as adult bilinguals via marriages to Poles. Design/methodology/approach: Based on my recent data from in-depth interviews, analyzed by means of qualitative methodology, I concentrate on the sociolinguistic complexity of bilingual couples in Poland. Data and analysis: I analyze excerpts of interviews produced by eight couples of immigrant women who settled down in Poland to live with Poles. I investigate these women’s talk with regard to their subjective evaluations of language repertoires resulting from their individual histories of L2 acquisition and their language ideologies reflected in communication patterns with their Polish husbands. Findings/conclusions: My data suggest that language competence relates to the communication quality in cross-lingual and intercultural couples, as subjectively assessed by the target women. I found evidence for apparent reshuffles in language repertoires, an appreciation for formal language learning and the specific hierarchy of priorities in private communication. The results reveal language attitudes which affect the dyadic communication and the sense of ethnicity among mixed couples. Originality: The article views multilingualism and immigration from a new perspective by giving the voice to women living in bilingual couples. The novelty relies on the less studied Polish context where immigrant women from different ethnic backgrounds share language experiences and life situations. Significance/implications: This is significant because the qualitative investigation of the socialization process through language helps understand and interpret linguistic phenomena in terms of the meanings brought to intercultural relationships.

Cultural Similarities and Differences in Relationship Goals in Intercultural Romantic Couples

Intercultural romantic relationships and multicultural families have increased in the United States and worldwide. Researchers have found that intercultural couples report high rates of conflict and relationship instability, which may be partly explained by differences between partners in relationship goals (e.g., how much intimacy is desired and how to approach conflict). Using data from 40 intercultural couples (N = 80), we test whether greater similarity in relationship goals between romantic partners is related to greater perceived partner responsiveness and, thereby, greater relationship quality. By means of Bayesian analyses, our results suggest that similarity of relationship goals is associated with both perceived responsiveness and relationship quality, but without evidence of mediation. Our results show that cultural similarities and differences exist in relationship goals in intercultural couples, and they are connected to relationship functioning. This information can be used to assist clinicians in understanding the interpersonal processes that make-up healthy relationship functioning in intercultural couples.