Citation

Yum Y, Li HZ. J. Intercult. Comm. Res. 2007; 36(2): 71-89.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/17475750701478612

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that attachment style is an indicator of relationship behavior and perception universally across cultures; however, research comparing the effect of attachment style on relational maintenance in culturally distinct societies is still non-existent. The present study investigated the effect of the secure or insecure attachment style on commonly used relational maintenance strategies and desired relational features in three geographically distant cultures: the US mainland, Hawaii, and South Korea. Results indicated that as predicted, regardless of culture, secure attachment style was associated with higher ratings of relationship quality (trust, commitment, liking, control mutuality, and satisfaction) and the self- and partner-perceived uses of Stafford and Canary's (1991) relationship maintenance strategies. Culture did not change the effect of attachment style on the dependent factors; however, culture, as an independent factor, contributed to the variance in the self-/partner-perceived maintenance strategies and relationship quality.