Are the Core Elements of Love in Family, Romantic, and Friend Relationships Consistent Across Cultures? A Mixed-Methods Comparison Between Chinese and US Samples

After identifying a three-component framework of love across family, romantic, and friend relationships in a Western cultural sample, the next critical step is to evaluate its generalizability in another cultural context. This study utilized mixed methods to examine what makes people feel loved in family, romantic, and friend relationships in a Chinese sample (n = 300) by (1) qualitatively coding their open-ended responses into concepts, categories, and core categories using grounded theory, (2) quantitatively comparing their frequencies among three relationship types, and (3) qualitatively and quantitatively comparing their similarities and differences to those in our previously analyzed U.S. sample (n = 468). In the Chinese sample, the same three core categories of love (Positive Responsiveness [to Needs], Authentic Connection, and Sense of Stability) and seven underlying categories were identified and shared across family, romantic, and friend relationships; three categories (providing support, mutual affinity, and enhancing sense of worth) and one core category (positive responsiveness) were the most frequently mentioned components shared across three relationship types. Qualitatively, core categories and categories identified in the Chinese and U.S. samples were identical, with slight differences at the concept level. Quantitatively, providing support, mutual affinity, and positive responsiveness were consistently highly mentioned across relationships in both cultures. Support, worth, and stability were more frequently mentioned in the Chinese sample, while affection and authentic connection were more frequently mentioned in the U.S. sample. Findings supported the generalizability of this love framework across cultures. Nuanced cultural differences in love in these close relationships were discussed.