Love Language Cross-Culturally

 BLOG #8- Love Language Cross-Culturally- November 28th, 2024

Love languages are a popular topic on social media these days—basically, the idea that everyone has their own way of expressing love in a romantic relationship. Whether it’s physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, or gifts, we all have our preferred way of both giving and receiving love. It’s a pretty interesting concept, but now that I’ve been studying cultural psychology, it makes me think about how these love languages might actually reflect the culture we’re a part of.

Heine’s (2016) book on cultural psychology discusses how culture shapes how we view and interact with the world, including how we approach romantic relationships. He talks about three main elements that differentiate what I’ll call “love language” across cultures: Passion, Intimacy, and Commitment. For instance, in Western cultures, things like physical touch and words of affirmation might be seen as essential to expressing love. You might find people openly discussing their feelings, sharing their emotions, or giving public displays of affection. On the other hand, in some East Asian cultures, where there’s more emphasis on commitment and social harmony, intimacy might be less about public displays and more about showing love through actions, like offering support or spending quality time together in quieter, more private ways.

This discussion got me thinking about how love languages could vary depending on where you’re from. If the way you give and receive love is shaped by our cultural norms, does that mean our love languages are more about cultural expectations than personal preference? And how do these differences impact the way we build relationships and express affection with others?


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