An Exploration of Non-Arranged Romantic Relationship Development Among Urban Young Adults in India
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by K-State Research Exchange FROM FRIENDS TO ROMANTIC PARTNERS: AN EXPLORATION OF NON-ARRANGED ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT AMONG URBAN YOUNG ADULTS IN INDIA by PRERANA DHARNIDHARKA B.A., Mumbai University, 2007 A THESIS submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Marriage and Family Therapy College of Human Ecology KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2014 Approved by: Major Professor Dr. Amber Vennum Abstract The majority of scholarship on romantic relationship development in emerging adulthood is with Western populations using theories grounded in a Western cultural context. This study had two goals. The first goal was to explore the experience of non-arranged romantic relationships for young people in urban India through in-depth interviews with four men and four women. The second was to examine the relevance of Western notions of emerging adulthood, romantic relationship development, and theoretical constructs related to relationship development (e.g., terms such as ‘dating’, ‘commitment’ and ‘satisfaction’) for this population. Findings indicated one potential pathway to relationship formation that begins in friendship and gradually evolves into a romantic relationship. Other findings shed light on young adults’ culturally bound negotiation with their families around the issue of romantic relationships and the similarities in definitions of relationship terms with Western literature. This study makes important contributions to the growing field of romantic relationships in emerging adulthood by suggesting that, first, while Indian youth display several characteristics of emerging adulthood and define commitment similarly as in the West, there are important differences too. Second it has implications for future quantitative measurement of romantic relationships among Indian young adults. Table of Contents List of Tables ..............................................................................................................................v Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... vi Dedication ................................................................................................................................ vii Chapter 1 - Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Chapter 2 - Literature Review .....................................................................................................2 Non-arranged Romantic Relationship Development in India ...................................................4 Conceptualizing Non-arranged Union Progression ..................................................................5 The Present Study ...................................................................................................................7 Chapter 3 - Methods ....................................................................................................................8 Participants and Recruitment ...................................................................................................8 Procedure ................................................................................................................................9 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 10 Ensuring trustworthiness ................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 4 - Results .................................................................................................................... 13 Pre-relationship Phase ........................................................................................................... 13 Meeting sites ..................................................................................................................... 13 Increased contact ............................................................................................................... 14 Developing friendship ....................................................................................................... 14 Assessment of fit ............................................................................................................... 15 Intentionality ..................................................................................................................... 18 Relationship Formation and Progression ............................................................................... 18 The transition to dating ...................................................................................................... 18 Increasing intimacy ........................................................................................................... 19 Making room for the partner and/or the relationship in their life. ................................... 19 Evolving physical intimacy. ........................................................................................... 20 Traveling together. ........................................................................................................ 22 Decision-making ............................................................................................................... 23 Evolving expectations........................................................................................................ 23 iii Cut-offs and breaks............................................................................................................ 24 Open communication ......................................................................................................... 25 Self-growth in context of the relationship .......................................................................... 26 Going public ...................................................................................................................... 26 Going public with peers. ................................................................................................ 26 Going public with family. .............................................................................................. 27 Uncertainties in relationship outcomes............................................................................... 30 Emerging adulthood .............................................................................................................. 31 Limited dating experience ................................................................................................. 32 Coordinating personal and career ambitions with the relationship ...................................... 32 Avoidance/delaying of marriage ........................................................................................ 33 Desire for cohabitation ...................................................................................................... 35 Focus on the ‘self’ ............................................................................................................. 35 Romantic Relationships Terminology .................................................................................... 36 Chapter 5 - Discussion .............................................................................................................. 39 Implications for Research and Practice .................................................................................. 43 Strengths and Limitations ...................................................................................................... 44 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 45 Chapter 6 - References .............................................................................................................. 47 Appendix A - Tables ................................................................................................................. 51 Appendix B - Interview Guide .................................................................................................. 52 Appendix C - Background Information Form and Relationship Questionnaire ........................... 54 Appendix D - Sample Transcript ............................................................................................... 57 iv List of Tables Table 1: Coding Scheme ........................................................................................................... 51 v Acknowledgements I would like to thank everyone that made this thesis possible. Thank you, Amber for always supporting me and pushing me to do better, in equal parts. Without your gentle but firm guidance, I would not have survived this long in graduate school. Thank you, Jared for always inspiring me to set high standards and not shy away from evaluating myself against those standards. Thank you, Joyce for entertaining my endlessly naïve and uninformed questions about qualitative research and providing a clear direction. Thank you, Dr. Scheidt for always asking the tough questions. Without all of you, I would not have been able to begin or complete this thesis. Thank you. vi Dedication To my parents, without whose endless love and support, I would not be here pursuing my dreams. vii Chapter 1 - Introduction We live in an increasingly