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Relatively Happy: The Role of the Positive-to-Negative Affect Ratio in Japanese and Belgian Couples

Kirchner-Häusler, Alexander, Boiger, Michael, Uchida, Yukiko, Higuchi, Yoko, Uchida, Atsuhiko, Mesquita, Batja (2021) Relatively Happy: The Role of the Positive-to-Negative Affect Ratio in Japanese and Belgian Couples. Sage Open, 53 (1). pp. 66-86. ISSN 2158-2440. E-ISSN 2158-2440. (doi:10.1177/00220221211051016) (KAR id:90834)

Abstract

Satisfied couples in European-American cultural contexts experience higher ratios of positive to negative affect during interactions than their less satisfied counterparts. The current research tests the possibility that this finding is culture-bound. It compares proportions of positive to negative affect during couple interactions in two different cultural contexts: Belgium and Japan. Whereas Belgian relationship goals (e.g., mutual affirmation and self-esteem) call for the experience of positive affect, Japanese relationship goals (e.g., harmony and self-adjustment) call for the avoidance of negative affect. We propose that these differences result in different affect ratios in close relationships. To test this idea, we tracked positive and negative feelings during couple interactions. Fifty-eight Belgian and 80 Japanese romantic couples took part in a lab interaction study, in which they discussed a topic of disagreement. Using a video-mediated recall, participants rated their positive and negative feelings during the interaction; relationship satisfaction was assessed before the interaction. As expected, Belgian couples’ positive-to-negative affect ratios were more positive than those of Japanese couples. Furthermore, in both cultures relationship satisfaction was positively associated with more positive affect ratios, but this effect was significantly stronger for Belgian than Japanese couples. Finally, mediation analyses showed that higher affect ratios were achieved in culturally different and meaningful ways: satisfied Belgian couples showed higher ratios primarily through higher levels of positive feelings, whereas satisfied Japanese couples showed higher ratios primarily through lower levels of negative feelings.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/00220221211051016
Uncontrolled keywords: affect, ratio, culture, couples, relationship satisfaction
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Alexander Kirchner Hausler
Date Deposited: 13 Oct 2021 11:18 UTC
Last Modified: 07 Mar 2022 11:30 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/90834 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Kirchner-Häusler, Alexander.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2406-7635
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