Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Ahead of Print.
This study examined the effects of romantic partners’ adult attachment on sacrifice in relationships and each partner’s corresponding emotional reactions using the strain-test situation protocol. Because the general values and expectations related to romantic relationship embedded in cultural norms might be different, this study also investigated potential cultural differences in this phenomenon, using a cross-cultural sample (115 dating couples in U.S. and 99 dating couples in China). Results showed a similar pattern across the groups that individuals tend to make less sacrifice when they or their partner were avoidantly attached; however, the actor effect of attachment anxiety on sacrifice only occurred in the US sample. In addition, the positive impact of sacrifice on both the individual’s and recipient’s emotional wellbeing was observed across cultures, although this impact seemed to be stronger in the Chinese sample. When asked to sacrifice, American participants with high attachment avoidance reported less negative affect whereas it was the anxiously attached Chinese participants who experienced less negative emotion. Findings of this study confirm the significant impact of adult attachment on sacrifice and corresponding emotional reactions, and also highlight the possible cross-cultural differences in the magnitude of these effects.