We Both Sacrifice in This Marriage! Sacrifice Experiences of Turkish Married Couples

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to delve into the nuanced and subjective experiences of married couples at various family life cycles regarding relational sacrifices within the cultural landscape of Türkiye. To accomplish this, we conducted a qualitative study with 16 Turkish married couples, addressing three research questions: “How do married individuals perceive their and their spouses' relational sacrifices?”, “What are the sacrifice behaviors and motives of married couples?” and “What are the consequences of relational sacrifices for spouses and their marriage?” We conducted a thematic analysis using a codebook approach with MAXQDA. We identified seven themes: Assigning meaning to sacrifice, engaging in sacrifices across life domains, reflecting on the underlying motives for sacrifices, being seen or unseen in sacrifices, experiencing the benefits of sacrifices, experiencing the costs of sacrifices, and inheriting cultural and familial sacrifices. We concluded that personal attributions, inherited family values, societal norms, and cultural characteristics shape individuals' understanding and practice of relational sacrifices. We also highlighted that some sacrifices may go unrecognized and can be perceived as burdensome despite their benefits. This study contributes to the understanding of relationships in a non‐WEIRD context, offering a more inclusive and culturally informed perspective on relational sacrifices.