ABSTRACT AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF ARRANGED-LOVE MARRIAGE IN COUPLES FROM COLLECTIVISTIC CULTURE Samreen Ali Patel, MS School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences Northern Illinois University, 2015 Charline Xie, Director The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomena of arranged-love marriage in married individuals from collectivistic cultures currently residing in the United States. This study was an attempt to understand the first-hand experiences of individuals who have entered into arranged-love marriages. Participants were asked semi-structured probing questions to gain an in-depth analysis of their experiences. It was discovered that contemporary Asian- Indian/Pakistani marital arrangements draw on concepts from both collectivistic and individualistic cultures as it relates to mate selection. Utilizing the modernization theory as an ecological backdrop and the social exchange theory to understand the individuals in this type of marital arrangement, an enhanced version of this phenomenon was exposed for the first time which has now been termed “Arranged-Love Marriage: Dating with a Purpose.” NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY DEKALB, ILLINOIS DECEMBER 2015 AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF ARRANGED-LOVE MARRIAGE IN COUPLES FROM COLLECTIVISTIC CULTURE BY SAMREEN QAMARUDDIN PATEL ©2015 Samreen Qamaruddin Patel A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF SCIENCE SCHOOL OF FAMILY, CONSUMER AND NUTRITION SCIENCES Thesis Director: Charline Xie ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I would like to thank Allah (God) and my loved ones for their continued support and patience with me throughout this project. Special thanks also to my committee members, Dr. Florensia Surjadi and Dr. Susan Bowers, for their contributions and guidance. Additionally, I would like to thank the participants who allowed me into their personal lives by sharing their intimate experiences with me. Finally, I would like to express my utmost gratitude to my thesis director, Dr. Charline Xie, for her patience, assistance, direction, feedback, and positive encouragement every step of the way. DEDICATION I dedicate this work to Qamaruddin and Naseem Patel (my parents), who sacrificed their dreams for my siblings and me. Thank you for your endless emotional and financial support. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................................................. ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 Implication of Research on Marriage .................................................................... 1 Culture .................................................................................................................... 2 Individualistic Culture ............................................................................... 3 Collectivistic Culture ................................................................................. 3 Mate Selection in Collectivistic Culture: Arranged Marriages .............................. 4 History of Arranged Marriages .............................................................................. 5 A Comparison Between Self-Choice and Arranged Marriages ............................. 6 Marriage in the Collectivistic Culture: A Shift on a Continuum ........................... 6 Resources Influencing the Shift Towards Arranged-Love Marriage ..................... 7 Purpose and Importance of the Study .................................................................... 8 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................................................... 10 Arranged-Love Marriage ..................................................................................... 11 Love-by-Arrangement .............................................................................. 12 v Chapter Page Hybrid Marriage ....................................................................................... 13 Hybrid Goals and Systems of Mate Selection ......................................... 13 Self-Arranged Marriage ........................................................................... 14 Summary .................................................................................................. 14 Theoretical Background: Modernization Theory ................................................. 15 Social Exchange Theory Overview ..................................................................... 16 Resources ............................................................................................................. 18 Globalization as an Exchange Resource .................................................. 19 Education as an Exchange Resource ........................................................ 21 Premarital Experiences as an Exchange Resource ................................... 22 Familial Involvement as an Exchange Resource ..................................... 23 Gender Behavior as an Exchange Resource ............................................ 25 Communication as an Exchange Resource .............................................. 26 Age ........................................................................................................... 28 Evolving Identity ..................................................................................... 29 Summary of the Literature ................................................................................... 30 3. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................... 31 Selection of the Sample ....................................................................................... 31 Participants ........................................................................................................... 32 Procedure ............................................................................................................. 32 Measures .............................................................................................................. 33 Semi-Structured Qualitative Interview .................................................... 33 vi Chapter Page Data Collection and Analysis ............................................................................... 33 4. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 36 Participants’ Backgrounds and Demographics .................................................... 36 Importance of Family: Extended Family, Parents, and In-Laws ......................... 42 Extended Family ...................................................................................... 42 Parents ...................................................................................................... 44 In-Laws .................................................................................................... 45 Intergenerational Transmission of Religious Values ............................................46 Fundamental Criteria of Mate Selection: Compatibility and Equality ................ 47 Marital Identity: Collectivism Meets Individualism ............................................ 50 Summary .............................................................................................................. 52 5. DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................ 54 Family, Religion, and Education as Resources .............................................. 55 Equality .......................................................................................................... 57 Collectivism Meets Individualism ................................................................. 57 Summary ........................................................................................................ 60 Implications for Research and Practice .......................................................... 60 Limitations ..................................................................................................... 61 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 63 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................. 73 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Demographic Characteristics of Participants ............................................................. 37 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Concept of Mate Selection in the Collectivistic Culture on a Continuum .......................... 7 2. Concept of Mate Selection in the Collectivistic Culture on a Continuum Based on Social Exchange Theory ............................................................................................................... 18 3. Concept of Mate Selection in the Collectivistic Culture on a Continuum with Resources ........................................................................................................................... 19 4. Arranged-Love Marriage: Dating with a Purpose ............................................................