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Relationships in Multicultural Contexts

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Perspectives on the Intersection of Multiculturalism and Positive Psychology

Part of the book series: Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology ((CAPP,volume 7))

Abstract

The study of relationships has greatly benefited from positive psychology’s emphasis on human strengths. There remains a need, however, to better understand the cultural shaping of positive relationship processes. This chapter describes positive processes in family and couple relationships in a U.S. multicultural context. We focus on three U.S. cultural heritage backgrounds – European, Latino, and East Asian – that share the universal need to belong but vary in their approaches to meeting this need in family and couple relationships. For family, we focus on familism, the relative priority placed on family over individual. For couples, we focus on formation processes, such as attraction and courtship, and maintenance processes, such as positive emotion, social support, and effective conflict management. We conclude by suggesting that the study of the cultural shaping of positive relationship processes offers an opportunity to understand the multiple routes that can lead to thriving family and couple relationships.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Some studies, however, have found that familism is also high in European heritage samples (e.g., Schwartz 2007; Vega et al. 1986).

  2. 2.

    Duchenne smiles are a distinctive type of smile that simultaneously engages facial muscles that raise the lips and the upper cheek below the eyes such that eyes appear to “crinkle”. Duchenne smiles, also known as “felt smiles”, are reliable indicators of felt positive emotion. In contrast, social smiles (or non-Duchenne smiles) are limited to mouth movements and can signal a wide variety of states.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chicano/Latino Studies, University of California, 3151 Social Science Plaza A, Irvine, CA, 92697-5100, USA

    Belinda Campos Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, 4201 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA

    Sharon Shenhav

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Correspondence to Belinda Campos Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology & Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA

    Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti

  2. Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

    Lisa M. Edwards

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Campos, B., Shenhav, S. (2014). Relationships in Multicultural Contexts. In: Teramoto Pedrotti, J., Edwards, L. (eds) Perspectives on the Intersection of Multiculturalism and Positive Psychology. Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8654-6_7

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