Discuss the nature of relationships in different cultures

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Most research on interpersonal relationships has been carried out in Western culture, but there are differences between cultures, and these differences may impact on our personal relationships.

Most research has been carried out in Western cultures especially the ones in the United States and the United Kingdom. The research was also limited because of the focus on voluntary relationship rather than obligatory relationships and heterosexual relationships rather that homosexual relationships. But the theorists say these limitations are very important, they argue that behaviour and communication need to be understood within the background they occur and this context differs from one culture to another and across different relationships. And we clearly agree that there are large differences in interpersonal relationships between cultures.

However there have also been some changes in relationships within many cultures over centuries. Celia Mosher, an American Doctor, did some research into this by asking her middle aged female patients about their sexual lives during the later part of the nineteenth century. She found that those who were born in the middle of the century described sex necessary for reproduction but did not regard it as pleasurable. Those who were born later in the century, described sex in much more positive terms, and said they saw sex as closely linked to passionate love (Western 1996).        

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The main differences are seen between individualist and collectivist societies. (Goodwin 1995) Argued that the difference between Western and Eastern cultures is that the Western tend to be Individualistic and Eastern tend to be Collectivistic. Individualistic culture relationships appear to be characterized by a high degree of choice – they live in Urban settings where people easily go around each other, see each other on a daily basis and we voluntarily interact with a large number of people. Collectivist cultures on the other hand, generally have fewer large urban centres -although this could be debated, there is less social ...

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