Cultural Differences of Social Network Influence on Romantic Relationships: A Comparison of the United States and South Korea |
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| Authors: | Borae Jin Sohyun Oh |
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| Institution: | 1. Communication Studies Department , University of Texas at Austin , bjin@mail.utexas.edu;3. Department of Communication , Yonsei University , Seoul, Korea |
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| Abstract: | This study examined the association between social network support and relationship quality of romantic partners among American and Korean college students. As predicted, findings indicated that Americans involve their family and friends more in their romantic relationships and, accordingly, get more support from them for their relationships than Koreans do. However, the results did not support the hypothesis that Koreans would perceive social network support as more important for their romantic relationships. Instead, network importance negatively mediated the effects of social network on relationship quality only for Americans. The positive associations between network support and relationship quality were not differential between the two samples. Implications for culture and close relationships are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | Culture Individualism and Collectivism Romantic Relationships Social Network Support |
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