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Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors
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Negotiating Conflict: Affective Behavioral Sequences in Belgian and Japanese Couple Interactions
Anna Schouten1, Nadja Bodner2, Michael Boiger3
1Center for Social and Cultural Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102 - box 3727, Leuven, 3000 Belgium.
Affective Science
|November 4, 2025
Summary
Belgian couples show more systematic affective responses during conflict than Japanese couples, reflecting cultural differences in relationship goals and negotiation styles. Both cultures exhibit gendered communication patterns, though Belgian couples display more balanced power dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Cultural Studies
Background:
- Romantic partners' interactions during conflict involve intertwined affective and behavioral sequences.
- Cultural variations in relationship goals may influence these sequences.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for relationship satisfaction and conflict resolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine cultural variations in affective behavioral sequences between Belgian and Japanese couples.
- To interpret these variations in the context of culturally distinct relationship goals.
- To analyze gender dynamics within these cross-cultural conflict discussions.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 58 Belgian and 80 Japanese couples for laboratory conflict discussions.
- Video-recorded discussions and coded them using the Specific Affect Coding System.
- Employed dynamic network analysis to map affective behavioral sequences.
Main Results:
- Belgian couples exhibited more systematic affective responses compared to Japanese couples.
- Belgian sequences indicated greater negotiation of individual needs, with anger, criticism, and domineering.
- Both cultures showed male defensiveness to female criticism; Japanese men's domineering was less likely to elicit female criticism, suggesting inhibited opposition.
Conclusions:
- Cultural differences significantly shape couple conflict communication patterns and relationship negotiation.
- Belgian couples demonstrated more balanced power dynamics, with validated anger and contained assertion.
- Humor reciprocation was observed in both cultures, highlighting a universal coping mechanism.
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