Dating, Marriage, and Parental Approval: An Examination of Young Adults in China

• In Event: 3181 - Section on Asia and Asian America Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 01. Dating, Marriage, and Family in Asia

Abstract

Within Chinese culture, filial piety has long been a central aspect of families and family life, stipulating that children are obligated to their families, and that adherence to parental authority is absolutely expected. Societal changes, particularly economic and demographic, have brought about changes to families which may have affected filial piety. Using a sample of young adult women and men, this study examines how willing daughters and sons are to date or marry someone without parental approval. Males were shown to be significantly more willing to go against parental approval, as compared to females. Familial characteristics were more likely to influence male’s willingness to date without parental approval, while females were strongly influenced by their individual characteristics, and particularly those related to the qualities they desired in a partner. The results are discussed within the developmental paradigm.

Authors

• Sampson Lee Blair, State University of New York-Buffalo

• Timothy Madigan, Mansfield University