Culture and the Development of Interpersonal Relationships

AbstractThe purpose of this chapter is to examine the influence of culture on communication in interpersonal relationships. Initially, research on social penetration and uncertainty reduction processes in interpersonal relationships across cultures is reviewed. The differences and similarities which emerge then are linked theoretically to communication in interpersonal relationships. This is accomplished by isolating the underlying dimension of cultural variability (e.g., individualism-collectivism) on which the cultures where the studies were conducted differ, thereby allowing culture to be treated as a theoretical variable. The next section focuses on the influence of cultural similarity /dissimilarity on social penetration and uncertainty reduction processes in interpersonal relationships between members of different cultures. The conclusion contains a summary of recent theoretical statements and a discussion of the issues which need to be addressed in future research and elaborations of uncertainty reduction theory.