Examining Differences in Attachment Styles Between Marriage Types
(Love versus Arranged) in Asian Indians and Americans
Melissa Chan, Ashley K. Randall, Deepti Duggi, Shanmukh V. Kamble & Emily A. Butler
Introduction
Methods
Conclusions and Implications
Attachment Theory
Attachment theory originally focused on parent-child relationships and was later extended to
address adult romantic relationships, describing the way that individuals experience emotion in the
context of relationships (Ainsworth, 1982; Hazan & Shaver, 1987). The attachment system is
thought to facilitate affiliation goals by motivating seeking and bonding activities with significant
others, particularly under times of stress (Bowlby, 1982). However, the majority of attachment
studies have been conducted in Western cultures, indicating the need for cross-cultural attachment
research.
Participants
Participants included a total of 130 male/female dyads.
U.S. Sample: 30 couples, age range: 19 - 64 years (M = 26 yrs, SD = 11.38 yrs)
India Sample: 100 couples (collected from Karnatak University in Dharwad, India) age range: 22 73 years (M = 35 yrs, SD = 8.47 yrs). 50 couples in “love” marriages and 50 in arranged marriages.
Procedure
Participants from the U.S. completed an online survey. Asian Indian participants completed a paper
survey.
Measures
Self-report attachment: 12-item Experience in Close Relationships Inventory – Short form (Wei et
al., 2007) assessed differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance. Participants were asked a series of
questions (e.g., “I try to avoid getting too close to my partner,” an avoidance-related item) and were
instructed to indicate whether the relevant behaviors were generally characteristic of the self (1 =
“strongly disagree”; 7 = “strongly agree”).
Our findings suggest that culture plays an important role in the ways that individuals perceive and
act in romantic relationships.
Cultural Differences
In the handful of cross-cultural attachment studies, individuals of collectivistic cultures tended to
be higher in both attachment anxiety and avoidance than those of independent cultures (Cheng &
Kwan, 2008; Schmitt et al., 2004; Wang & Mallinckrodt, 2006; Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt &
Zakalik, 2004). This phenomenon might be linked to collectivistic cultural values of social
harmony and emotional restraint (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). Maintaining social harmony requires
one to be highly considerate of others’ well-being, which predisposes one to be anxious. Similarly,
practicing emotional restraint involves refraining from sharing about one’s personal wants and
needs, which predisposes one to be avoidant.
Marriage Types
In independent cultures, couples are expected to have the final say in marriage. In contrast, in
Asian Indian and other collectivistic cultures, arranged marriages are standard. Family approval
and satisfaction are vital to marriages in Indian culture. Therefore, the emphasis on others’
opinions leads Indians in arranged marriages to be more prone to higher attachment anxiety levels.
Furthermore, couples may need to restrain their personal wants and needs in order to appease the
family, which can contribute to higher levels of attachment avoidance.
Results
Cultural Differences in Attachment
There was a significant difference in attachment avoidance between U.S. and Asian Indian
participants, with Asian Indian participants scoring higher in attachment avoidance (F(1, 254) = 8.63, p
< .004). Contrary to our prediction, there was no significant difference for attachment anxiety by
country (F(1, 256) = 0.68, n.s.)
As predicted, results revealed higher attachment avoidance in Asian Indians, regardless of marriage
type. Contrary to our hypothesis, this effect did not apply to attachment anxiety.
When observing marriage types, we found a significant difference in both attachment avoidance and
attachment anxiety. The couples in Indian arranged marriages reported the highest levels of
attachment insecurity compared to those in U.S. marriages and Indian “love” marriages.
These findings imply that adherence to collectivistic values renders an individual more prone to
attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety. Following this logic, those in Indian arranged
marriages seem to be the most collectivistic among those in Indian “love” marriages and U.S.
marriages. Highly collectivistic individuals may value emotional restraint and social harmony more
than those who are less collectivistic, thus predisposing them to higher levels of attachment
avoidance and attachment anxiety, respectively. Thus, there may be a relationship between degree of
adherence to collectivistic values and attachment insecurity.
In an expanding, global society, understanding individuals of various cultures is crucial to crosscultural interactions and communication. Particularly, marital and family therapists may find this
research useful for implementing more effective techniques when working with collectivistic
couples.
Limitations
U.S. sample from Tucson, Arizona might not be an accurate representation of the United States.
Our Asian Indian sample might not be an accurate representation because it was gathered at
Karnatak University. Universities cannot accurately represent India’s population because the
university population is generally more affluent and westernized than the overall population.
Additionally, Karnatak University is located in Dharwad, a city in the state of Karnataka. This state is
only one of 28 states in India, and may not be an accurate representation of India’s demographics.
Hypothesis
Based on previous research, we hypothesize the following:
1. Asian Indian participants will report higher levels of anxiety and avoidance than the American
participants due to their collectivistic mindset.
2. Indians in arranged marriages will report the highest levels of anxiety and avoidance compared to
those in Indian “love” marriages and U.S. marriages.
Marriage Differences in Attachment
There was a significant difference in attachment avoidance and anxiety among Indian arranged
marriages, Indian “love” marriages, and U.S. marriages. Indian arranged marriages showed the highest
avoidance (F(2, 126) = 7.19, p < .001) and anxiety levels (F(2, 255) = 6.63, p < .002).
Although the ECR has shown high validity, participants’ responses to surveys might
not accurately reflect their true thoughts and feelings. Moreover, the lower levels of alpha on the
short form scale are not typical.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge funding from the Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth, and
Families.