Sources of Marital Conflict in Five Cultures

Adaptive Calibration of Dyadic Sexual Desire Is Sex Differentiated and Disrupted by Hormonal Contraceptives

Adaptive calibration models suggest that features of people's childhood ecologies can shape their reproductive outcomes in adulthood. Given the importance of dyadic sexual desire (i.e., desire for sex with a partner) for relationships and reproduction, we examined the extent to which people's childhood ecologies-especially the unpredictability of those ecologies-adaptively calibrate such desire. Nevertheless, because female (versus male) sexual desire is presumed to be more sensitive to situational factors, and because hormonal contraceptives alter myriad aspects of female physiology that influence female sexual desire, we predicted that adaptive calibration of dyadic sexual desire would emerge more strongly for naturally cycling females (versus females who use hormonal contraceptives and versus males). In Study 1, a total of 630 participants (159 males, 203 naturally cycling females, and 268 females using hormonal contraceptives) completed questionnaires assessing the harshness and unpredictability of their childhood ecologies as well as their sexual desire. Consistent with predictions, childhood unpredictability (but not harshness) was positively associated with dyadic (but not solitary) sexual desire among naturally cycling females (but not among females using hormonal contraceptives nor among males). Study 2, which consisted of 736 females (307 naturally cycling females, 429 females using hormonal contraceptives), replicated this pattern of results for females. These findings add to a growing literature suggesting that the instability of people's early childhood ecologies can adaptively calibrate their adult reproductive motivations and behaviors, including their dyadic sexual desire. Not only is the current finding among the first to show that some adaptive calibration processes may be sex differentiated, it further highlights that hormonal contraceptives, which alter the evolved reproductive physiology of females, may disrupt adaptive calibration processes (though such disruption may not be inherently negative).

Evlilik Çatışma Alanları İndeksi ve Çatışma Çözme Stilleri Envanteri’nin Geliştirilmesi: Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışmaları

The purpose of this study is to develop the Conflict Areas Index (CAI) to identify possible conflict areas that couples experience in their marriages and to develop the Conflict Styles Inventory (CSI) to assess how they deal with these conflicts. Exploratory (N=374) and confirmatory (N=152) factor analysis and test-retest (N=49) examinations were conducted with a sample of 575 married individuals in total. For the first scale, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine the construct validity of the CAI. According to the results, a single component giving frequency values for 15 different conflict areas was identified. In the criterion-related validity studies, the scale had a significant, negative, and strong correlation with the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS) (r=-.72) and the level of satisfaction with the relationship (r=-.67). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found as .91. For the second scale, the construct validity of the CSI was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis. The results revealed a three-dimensional structure named destructive, passive, and active conflict resolution styles. In the criterion-related validity studies, it was found significant and positive correlations between destructive (r=.14) and passive (r=.18) conflict resolution styles with CAI scores and a significant and negative correlation between active resolution style with CAI scores. In addition, there were significant and negative correlations between destructive (r=-.15) and passive (r=-.12) conflict resolution styles with the RAS scores and a significant and positive correlation between active conflict resolution style with the RAS scores. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were .88, .87, and .87 for destructive, passive, and active conflict resolution styles, respectively. The correlation values between the scores of the CSI within a 14-day time interval were ⍴=.94, ⍴=.91, and ⍴=.83 for destructive, passive, and active conflict resolution styles, respectively. These results indicated that CAI and CSI have sufficient psychometric properties that can be used to assess conflict areas and conflict resolution styles of married individuals.

Love Culturally: How Does Culture Affect Intimacy, Commitment & Love

This paper, relying on a thematic review of the literature, aimed to explore the influence of culture on human relations, particularly on love. We highlighted the innate need of humans to belong and be part of a community and, moreover, partake in an intimate relationship. Most humans yearn for intimacy, and thus it was defined and described. In our Western culture, intimacy is often found in marriage, usually built on love. Love, if not nurtured, may fade, and so we described what happens when it does. Romantic relationships, where love is usually expressed and actualized, were examined, including how it is shown, how time affects love, and what causes love relationships to be marred by loneliness. The main part of the paper is devoted to examining the effect of culture on love, its expression, and on romantic relationships. While love may be universal, its development, expression, and importance in intimate relationships differ depending on the culture and era in which it occurs.

Sex differences in predictors of relationship satisfaction: The effects of dyadic coping, love, sexual motivation and having children