Patterns and universals of adult romantic attachment across 62 cultural regions: Are models of self and of other pancultural constructs?

David P. Schmitt; Lidia Alcalay; Melissa Allensworth; Jüri Allik; Lara Ault; Ivars Austers; Kevin L. Bennett; Gabriel Bianchi; Fredrick Boholst; Mary Ann Borg Cunen; Johan Braeckman; Edwin G. Brainerd; Leo Gerard A. Caral; Gabrielle Caron; Maria Martina Casullo; Michael Cunningham; Ikuo Daibo; Charlotte De Backer; Eros De Souza; Rolando Diaz-Loving; Gláucia Diniz; Kevin Durkin; Marcela Echegaray; Ekin Eremsoy; Harald A. Euler; Ruth Falzon; Maryanne L. Fisher; Dolores Foley; Robert Fowler; Douglas P. Fry; Sirpa Fry; M. Arif Ghayur; Vijai N. Giri; Debra L. Golden; Karl Grammer; Liria Grimaldi; Jamin Halberstadt; Shamsul Haque; Dora Herrera; Janine Hertel; Amanda Hitchell; Heather Hoffmann; Danica Hooper; Zuzana Hradilekova; Jasna Hudek-Kene-Evi; Allen Huffcutt; Jas Jaafar; Margarita Jankauskaite; Heidi Kabangu-Stahel; Igor Kardum; Brigitte Khoury; Hayrran Kwon; Kaia Laidra; Anton Rupert Laireiter; Dustin Lakerveld; Ada Lampert; Maryanne Lauri; Marguerite Lavallée; Suk Jae Lee; Luk Chung Leung; Kenneth D. Locke; Vance Locke; Ivan Luksik; Ishmael Magaisa; Dalia Marcinkeviciene; André Mata; Rui Mata; Barry Mccarthy; Michael E. Mills; Nhlanhla J. Mkhize; João Moreira; Sérgio Moreira; Miguel Moya; M. Munyae; Patricia Noller; Hmoud Olimat; Adrian Opre; Alexia Panayiotou; Nebojsa Petrovic; Karolien Poels; Miroslav Popper; Maria Poulimenou; Volodymyr P'yatokha; Michel Raymond; Ulf Dietrich Reips; Susan E. Reneau; Sofia Rivera-Aragon; Wade C. Rowatt; Willibald Ruch; Velko S. Rus; Marilyn P. Safir; Sonia Salas; Fabio Sambataro; Kenneth N. Sandnabba; Rachel Schleeter; Marion K. Schulmeyer; Astrid Schütz; Tullio Scrimali; Todd K. Shackelford

doi:10.1177/0022022104266105

Patterns and universals of adult romantic attachment across 62 cultural regions: Are models of self and of other pancultural constructs?

David P. Schmitt, Lidia Alcalay, Melissa Allensworth, Jüri Allik, Lara Ault, Ivars Austers, Kevin L. Bennett, Gabriel Bianchi, Fredrick Boholst, Mary Ann Borg Cunen, Johan Braeckman, Edwin G. Brainerd, Leo Gerard A. Caral, Gabrielle Caron, Maria Martina Casullo, Michael Cunningham, Ikuo Daibo, Charlotte De Backer, Eros De Souza, Rolando Diaz-LovingGláucia Diniz, Kevin Durkin, Marcela Echegaray, Ekin Eremsoy, Harald A. Euler, Ruth Falzon, Maryanne L. Fisher, Dolores Foley, Robert Fowler, Douglas P. Fry, Sirpa Fry, M. Arif Ghayur, Vijai N. Giri, Debra L. Golden, Karl Grammer, Liria Grimaldi, Jamin Halberstadt, Shamsul Haque, Dora Herrera, Janine Hertel, Amanda Hitchell, Heather Hoffmann, Danica Hooper, Zuzana Hradilekova, Jasna Hudek-Kene-Evi, Allen Huffcutt, Jas Jaafar, Margarita Jankauskaite, Heidi Kabangu-Stahel, Igor Kardum, Brigitte Khoury, Hayrran Kwon, Kaia Laidra, Anton Rupert Laireiter, Dustin Lakerveld, Ada Lampert, Maryanne Lauri, Marguerite Lavallée, Suk Jae Lee, Luk Chung Leung, Kenneth D. Locke, Vance Locke, Ivan Luksik, Ishmael Magaisa, Dalia Marcinkeviciene, André Mata, Rui Mata, Barry Mccarthy, Michael E. Mills, Nhlanhla J. Mkhize, João Moreira, Sérgio Moreira, Miguel Moya, M. Munyae, Patricia Noller, Hmoud Olimat, Adrian Opre, Alexia Panayiotou, Nebojsa Petrovic, Karolien Poels, Miroslav Popper, Maria Poulimenou, Volodymyr P'yatokha, Michel Raymond, Ulf Dietrich Reips, Susan E. Reneau, Sofia Rivera-Aragon, Wade C. Rowatt, Willibald Ruch, Velko S. Rus, Marilyn P. Safir, Sonia Salas, Fabio Sambataro, Kenneth N. Sandnabba, Rachel Schleeter, Marion K. Schulmeyer, Astrid Schütz, Tullio Scrimali, Todd K. Shackelford

Department of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

As part of the International Sexuality Description Project, a total of 17,804 participants from 62 cultural regions completed the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), a self-report measure of adult romantic attachment. Correlational analyses within each culture suggested that the Model of Self and the Model of Other scales of the RQ were psychometrically valid within most cultures. Contrary to expectations, the Model of Self and Model of Other dimensions of the RQ did not underlie the four-category model of attachment in the same way across all cultures. Analyses of specific attachment styles revealed that secure romantic attachment was normative in 79% of cultures and that preoccupied romantic attachment was particularly prevalent in East Asian cultures. Finally, the romantic attachment profiles of individual nations were correlated with sociocultural indicators in ways that supported evolutionary theories of romantic attachment and basic human mating strategies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	367-402
Number of pages	36
Journal	Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology
Volume	35
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022104266105
State	Published - Jul 2004

Keywords

Culture
Human mating strategies
Internal working models
Romantic attachment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Cultural Studies
Anthropology

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10.1177/0022022104266105

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Schmitt, D. P., Alcalay, L., Allensworth, M., Allik, J., Ault, L., Austers, I., Bennett, K. L., Bianchi, G., Boholst, F., Cunen, M. A. B., Braeckman, J., Brainerd, E. G., Caral, L. G. A., Caron, G., Casullo, M. M., Cunningham, M., Daibo, I., De Backer, C., De Souza, E., ... Shackelford, T. K. (2004). Patterns and universals of adult romantic attachment across 62 cultural regions: Are models of self and of other pancultural constructs? Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 35(4), 367-402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022104266105

@article{22249d9909074197a72f6263b870cab0,

title = "Patterns and universals of adult romantic attachment across 62 cultural regions: Are models of self and of other pancultural constructs?",

abstract = "As part of the International Sexuality Description Project, a total of 17,804 participants from 62 cultural regions completed the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), a self-report measure of adult romantic attachment. Correlational analyses within each culture suggested that the Model of Self and the Model of Other scales of the RQ were psychometrically valid within most cultures. Contrary to expectations, the Model of Self and Model of Other dimensions of the RQ did not underlie the four-category model of attachment in the same way across all cultures. Analyses of specific attachment styles revealed that secure romantic attachment was normative in 79% of cultures and that preoccupied romantic attachment was particularly prevalent in East Asian cultures. Finally, the romantic attachment profiles of individual nations were correlated with sociocultural indicators in ways that supported evolutionary theories of romantic attachment and basic human mating strategies.",

keywords = "Culture, Human mating strategies, Internal working models, Romantic attachment",

author = "Schmitt, {David P.} and Lidia Alcalay and Melissa Allensworth and J{\"u}ri Allik and Lara Ault and Ivars Austers and Bennett, {Kevin L.} and Gabriel Bianchi and Fredrick Boholst and Cunen, {Mary Ann Borg} and Johan Braeckman and Brainerd, {Edwin G.} and Caral, {Leo Gerard A.} and Gabrielle Caron and Casullo, {Maria Martina} and Michael Cunningham and Ikuo Daibo and {De Backer}, Charlotte and {De Souza}, Eros and Rolando Diaz-Loving and Gl{\'a}ucia Diniz and Kevin Durkin and Marcela Echegaray and Ekin Eremsoy and Euler, {Harald A.} and Ruth Falzon and Fisher, {Maryanne L.} and Dolores Foley and Robert Fowler and Fry, {Douglas P.} and Sirpa Fry and Ghayur, {M. Arif} and Giri, {Vijai N.} and Golden, {Debra L.} and Karl Grammer and Liria Grimaldi and Jamin Halberstadt and Shamsul Haque and Dora Herrera and Janine Hertel and Amanda Hitchell and Heather Hoffmann and Danica Hooper and Zuzana Hradilekova and Jasna Hudek-Kene-Evi and Allen Huffcutt and Jas Jaafar and Margarita Jankauskaite and Heidi Kabangu-Stahel and Igor Kardum and Brigitte Khoury and Hayrran Kwon and Kaia Laidra and Laireiter, {Anton Rupert} and Dustin Lakerveld and Ada Lampert and Maryanne Lauri and Marguerite Lavall{\'e}e and Lee, {Suk Jae} and Leung, {Luk Chung} and Locke, {Kenneth D.} and Vance Locke and Ivan Luksik and Ishmael Magaisa and Dalia Marcinkeviciene and Andr{\'e} Mata and Rui Mata and Barry Mccarthy and Mills, {Michael E.} and Mkhize, {Nhlanhla J.} and Jo{\~a}o Moreira and S{\'e}rgio Moreira and Miguel Moya and M. Munyae and Patricia Noller and Hmoud Olimat and Adrian Opre and Alexia Panayiotou and Nebojsa Petrovic and Karolien Poels and Miroslav Popper and Maria Poulimenou and Volodymyr P'yatokha and Michel Raymond and Reips, {Ulf Dietrich} and Reneau, {Susan E.} and Sofia Rivera-Aragon and Rowatt, {Wade C.} and Willibald Ruch and Rus, {Velko S.} and Safir, {Marilyn P.} and Sonia Salas and Fabio Sambataro and Sandnabba, {Kenneth N.} and Rachel Schleeter and Schulmeyer, {Marion K.} and Astrid Sch{\"u}tz and Tullio Scrimali and Shackelford, {Todd K.}",

year = "2004",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1177/0022022104266105",

language = "English",

volume = "35",

pages = "367--402",

journal = "Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology",

issn = "0022-0221",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

number = "4",

}

Schmitt, DP, Alcalay, L, Allensworth, M, Allik, J, Ault, L, Austers, I, Bennett, KL, Bianchi, G, Boholst, F, Cunen, MAB, Braeckman, J, Brainerd, EG, Caral, LGA, Caron, G, Casullo, MM, Cunningham, M, Daibo, I, De Backer, C, De Souza, E, Diaz-Loving, R, Diniz, G, Durkin, K, Echegaray, M, Eremsoy, E, Euler, HA, Falzon, R, Fisher, ML, Foley, D, Fowler, R, Fry, DP, Fry, S, Ghayur, MA, Giri, VN, Golden, DL, Grammer, K, Grimaldi, L, Halberstadt, J, Haque, S, Herrera, D, Hertel, J, Hitchell, A, Hoffmann, H, Hooper, D, Hradilekova, Z, Hudek-Kene-Evi, J, Huffcutt, A, Jaafar, J, Jankauskaite, M, Kabangu-Stahel, H, Kardum, I, Khoury, B, Kwon, H, Laidra, K, Laireiter, AR, Lakerveld, D, Lampert, A, Lauri, M, Lavallée, M, Lee, SJ, Leung, LC, Locke, KD, Locke, V, Luksik, I, Magaisa, I, Marcinkeviciene, D, Mata, A, Mata, R, Mccarthy, B, Mills, ME, Mkhize, NJ, Moreira, J, Moreira, S, Moya, M, Munyae, M, Noller, P, Olimat, H, Opre, A, Panayiotou, A, Petrovic, N, Poels, K, Popper, M, Poulimenou, M, P'yatokha, V, Raymond, M, Reips, UD, Reneau, SE, Rivera-Aragon, S, Rowatt, WC, Ruch, W, Rus, VS, Safir, MP, Salas, S, Sambataro, F, Sandnabba, KN, Schleeter, R, Schulmeyer, MK, Schütz, A, Scrimali, T & Shackelford, TK 2004, 'Patterns and universals of adult romantic attachment across 62 cultural regions: Are models of self and of other pancultural constructs?', Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 367-402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022104266105

TY - JOUR

T1 - Patterns and universals of adult romantic attachment across 62 cultural regions

T2 - Are models of self and of other pancultural constructs?

AU - Schmitt, David P.

AU - Alcalay, Lidia

AU - Allensworth, Melissa

AU - Allik, Jüri

AU - Ault, Lara

AU - Austers, Ivars

AU - Bennett, Kevin L.

AU - Bianchi, Gabriel

AU - Boholst, Fredrick

AU - Cunen, Mary Ann Borg

AU - Braeckman, Johan

AU - Brainerd, Edwin G.

AU - Caral, Leo Gerard A.

AU - Caron, Gabrielle

AU - Casullo, Maria Martina

AU - Cunningham, Michael

AU - Daibo, Ikuo

AU - De Backer, Charlotte

AU - De Souza, Eros

AU - Diaz-Loving, Rolando

AU - Diniz, Gláucia

AU - Durkin, Kevin

AU - Echegaray, Marcela

AU - Eremsoy, Ekin

AU - Euler, Harald A.

AU - Falzon, Ruth

AU - Fisher, Maryanne L.

AU - Foley, Dolores

AU - Fowler, Robert

AU - Fry, Douglas P.

AU - Fry, Sirpa

AU - Ghayur, M. Arif

AU - Giri, Vijai N.

AU - Golden, Debra L.

AU - Grammer, Karl

AU - Grimaldi, Liria

AU - Halberstadt, Jamin

AU - Haque, Shamsul

AU - Herrera, Dora

AU - Hertel, Janine

AU - Hitchell, Amanda

AU - Hoffmann, Heather

AU - Hooper, Danica

AU - Hradilekova, Zuzana

AU - Hudek-Kene-Evi, Jasna

AU - Huffcutt, Allen

AU - Jaafar, Jas

AU - Jankauskaite, Margarita

AU - Kabangu-Stahel, Heidi

AU - Kardum, Igor

AU - Khoury, Brigitte

AU - Kwon, Hayrran

AU - Laidra, Kaia

AU - Laireiter, Anton Rupert

AU - Lakerveld, Dustin

AU - Lampert, Ada

AU - Lauri, Maryanne

AU - Lavallée, Marguerite

AU - Lee, Suk Jae

AU - Leung, Luk Chung

AU - Locke, Kenneth D.

AU - Locke, Vance

AU - Luksik, Ivan

AU - Magaisa, Ishmael

AU - Marcinkeviciene, Dalia

AU - Mata, André

AU - Mata, Rui

AU - Mccarthy, Barry

AU - Mills, Michael E.

AU - Mkhize, Nhlanhla J.

AU - Moreira, João

AU - Moreira, Sérgio

AU - Moya, Miguel

AU - Munyae, M.

AU - Noller, Patricia

AU - Olimat, Hmoud

AU - Opre, Adrian

AU - Panayiotou, Alexia

AU - Petrovic, Nebojsa

AU - Poels, Karolien

AU - Popper, Miroslav

AU - Poulimenou, Maria

AU - P'yatokha, Volodymyr

AU - Raymond, Michel

AU - Reips, Ulf Dietrich

AU - Reneau, Susan E.

AU - Rivera-Aragon, Sofia

AU - Rowatt, Wade C.

AU - Ruch, Willibald

AU - Rus, Velko S.

AU - Safir, Marilyn P.

AU - Salas, Sonia

AU - Sambataro, Fabio

AU - Sandnabba, Kenneth N.

AU - Schleeter, Rachel

AU - Schulmeyer, Marion K.

AU - Schütz, Astrid

AU - Scrimali, Tullio

AU - Shackelford, Todd K.

PY - 2004/7

Y1 - 2004/7

N2 - As part of the International Sexuality Description Project, a total of 17,804 participants from 62 cultural regions completed the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), a self-report measure of adult romantic attachment. Correlational analyses within each culture suggested that the Model of Self and the Model of Other scales of the RQ were psychometrically valid within most cultures. Contrary to expectations, the Model of Self and Model of Other dimensions of the RQ did not underlie the four-category model of attachment in the same way across all cultures. Analyses of specific attachment styles revealed that secure romantic attachment was normative in 79% of cultures and that preoccupied romantic attachment was particularly prevalent in East Asian cultures. Finally, the romantic attachment profiles of individual nations were correlated with sociocultural indicators in ways that supported evolutionary theories of romantic attachment and basic human mating strategies.

AB - As part of the International Sexuality Description Project, a total of 17,804 participants from 62 cultural regions completed the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), a self-report measure of adult romantic attachment. Correlational analyses within each culture suggested that the Model of Self and the Model of Other scales of the RQ were psychometrically valid within most cultures. Contrary to expectations, the Model of Self and Model of Other dimensions of the RQ did not underlie the four-category model of attachment in the same way across all cultures. Analyses of specific attachment styles revealed that secure romantic attachment was normative in 79% of cultures and that preoccupied romantic attachment was particularly prevalent in East Asian cultures. Finally, the romantic attachment profiles of individual nations were correlated with sociocultural indicators in ways that supported evolutionary theories of romantic attachment and basic human mating strategies.

KW - Culture

KW - Human mating strategies

KW - Internal working models

KW - Romantic attachment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=3042733777&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/0022022104266105

DO - 10.1177/0022022104266105

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:3042733777

SN - 0022-0221

VL - 35

SP - 367

EP - 402

JO - Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

JF - Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

IS - 4

ER -

Patterns and universals of adult romantic attachment across 62 cultural regions: Are models of self and of other pancultural constructs?

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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