Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
Family and Work: What Does it Mean? A Cross-Cultural Study on Work and Family Representations and its Impact on the
Cátia Sousa1, Gabriela Gonçalves1, Alexandra Gomes1
1Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; Centro Universitário de Investigação em Psicologia (CUIP), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
Abstract:
The way individuals conceptualize and value work and family plays a crucial role in shaping identity and guiding personal and professional priorities. This descriptive-correlational and cross-cultural study aimed to analyze the centrality attributed to work and family, as well as to explore the social representations associated with these two domains. Samples were collected from Canada (n = 77), India (n = 201), Oman (n = 175), Portugal (n = 340) and Spain (n = 102), totaling 895 participants. Participants provided demographic information, completed the Work-Family Centrality Scale, and evoked three words related to "family" and "work" through a free association task. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify latent dimensions of representation, and cluster analysis grouped participants into six distinct symbolic profiles. Results confirmed cultural differences in work-family centrality, with participants from Portugal and Spain prioritizing family, and participants from India attributing greater centrality to work. Gender differences were small and not statistically significant. Representational clusters were meaningfully associated with both country and centrality scores, indicating that the symbolic configuration of work and family informs how individuals prioritize these roles in their identity. This study highlights the value of integrating identity theory and Social Representations Theory to understand how personal and cultural meanings shape work-family dynamics.
More Related Videos
08:24The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
11:13The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Cultural Influences on Personality
Cross-Sectional Research
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Stereotype Content Model
Horney's Sociocultural Approach
Family Therapy
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...