Cohesion Family.

Cohesion Family.

Cohesion family denotes to the emotional bonding that members of the family have towards each other. Various scholars and studies have explained family cohesion as the way people in a family bond and relationship with each other (Hossu, 2018). Different ways through which family cohesion can be created include the following; Routine (establishing a routine that gives the family members a sense of security), Responsibilities ( allow members to contribute in the household, this creates a sense of identity, and belonging), Recognition (recognize each other in the family), Recreation (family members need to engage in fun moments together and establish positive memories together) (Dehshiri, 2019). According to Olson and Lavee, family cohesion refers to the emotive bonding that exists on each of the family members towards the other family members (Olson and Lavee, 2013). According to Pilgrim, Abbey, and Kershaw (2004), Mothers form an integral part of the ways their children bond with a new environment (Pilgrim, Abbey, and Kershaw, 2004). Thus, the female spouses are essential in the adjustment to new environments. Children require adjusting to the new school and have to make new friends in the unique cultural background, and they may need the help of the family in acknowledging the new environment (Pilgrim, Abbey, & Kershaw, 2004). The most influential parent in such cases is the female parent or the female spouse as she is closer to the children than her male counterpart. The personalities of the women spouses may affect the cohesion of the families in different cultural environments in many ways, and this is a factor in the adaptation of the people in different communities different from their original community. Expatriates may find themselves in environments that may not favour their existence, but their personalities may be influential in the way they adjust to the new environments.

Studies show that family cohesion affects the formation and the nature of the family in different cultural aspects. Fernando, Rivera, Peter, Guarnaccia, & Margarita, Alegria argues that the emotional distress in families is overcome by the cohesion and the togetherness of the family (Fernando, Rivera, Peter, Guarnaccia, & Margarita, Alegria, 2008). The cohesiveness of the family is essential in acknowledging the cultures of different people as the cohesion may affect the way the family relates to the customs. Female spouses, in this case, are vital in ensuring the coherence of the family through their various personalities such as empathy, empathy and assertiveness (Popova, Vasylyeva & Nakonechna, 2019). Most families are exposed to challenges in the cultural aspects, especially if they have to move or live in a different cultural background. Most of the families tend to be guided by their cultures to keep tightly together and have the cohesion. However, the influences of cultures may affect the family cohesion and lead to breakdowns or separations. The personalities of the female spouses may, however, be useful in curbing or preventing the conflicts (Fernando, Rivera, Peter, Guarnaccia, &, Margarita, Alegria, 2008). Female spouses have the personalities of conflict resolution and can enhance cohesion in the family even when the family is in a diverse culture. Men are more aggressive and combative compared to women; thus, they tend to exhibit poor conflict resolution skills. Female spouses, on the other hand, tend to exhibit compassion, assertive traits and empathy characteristics, this tends to make them resolve conflicts more swiftly compared to the male spouses (Dildar & Amjad, 2017). Traditionally, the female is characterized as gentle, maternal and nurturing, while men are viewed as having propensity of belligerence and violence. Women tend to express their feelings more openly; the expression of their feelings plays a vital role in conflict resolution (Dildar & Amjad, 2017). Hence, women characteristics of conflict resolution play a fundamental role in enhancing adjustment in the cross-culture. While in a new cultural environment, women tend to resolve the conflicts more successfully compared to male spouses, this, in turn, facilitates the process of cultural adjustment (Dildar & Amjad, 2017).

Family cohesion has been seen to be affected by various outside or external factors. The various internal and external factors affecting family cohesion include the following; social support, marital communication, family stress, and religion (Taylor et al., 2019). The characters of the female spouses as players in the relationships may affect the cohesion of the family in different ways. A female spouse’s traits may be aimed at uniting the family together and ensuring coherence in the family even when the family is in a different cultural environment. According to Burr et al., concepts of marital satisfaction and marital adjustment are often defined inappropriately and lead to severe issues to the family researchers concerning formal definitions and operational definitions (Burr et al.,2013). The concepts of marital satisfaction and marital adjustment are good indicators of family cohesion, marital satisfaction and successful marital adjustment to a new culture denote a strong family cohesion (Abbasi, Dokaneifard & Shafiabadi, 2019).

Most studies have been undertaken to investigate the effects of family cohesion on the cross-cultural adjustment. Family cohesion is viewed as a vital factor necessary to limit the violence experienced in most of the families. Family cohesion means that family members take their time to cater for the wellbeing of other family members and recognize their presence in the family. Hence, family cohesion plays a significant role in enhancing unity amongst the family members and help preserve peace throughout the family (Israel, Ludtke & Wagner, 2019). Thus, the cohesion of a family can enable the family to adjust more swiftly in a new environment and assimilate new norms and beliefs more swiftly. For example, individual Family member’s adjustments are vital in the alignment of the whole family in a cross-cultural environment (Israel, Ludtke & Wagner, 2019). Female spouses being members of a family have thus their influence in the corrections and adaptation of the family in the foreign cultures. The study in family cohesion focuses on the process of adaptation of every family member in a diverse culture. Women personality traits play a significant role in enhancing family cohesion compared to male partners. The women may also affect the adjustment to the multicultural environments as they would want and like their families to be closer to each other and thus would encourage cohesion (Zheng & Gan, 2018).  Women personalities such as assertiveness, empathy and conflict solving traits help the family, this, in turn, enables the family to adjust more swiftly while in a new cultural setting.

In conclusion, cohesion family is a significant factor for cultural, intercultural adjustment; cohesion family tend to experience a swift adjustment while in a new culture. Also, women traits such as empathy, conflict, resolving traits, and assertiveness play a significant role in enhancing family cohesion (Zheng & Gan, 2018). This, in turn, plays a significant role in the family adjustment whenever they relocate to a new cultural environment.

Cultural Open-Mindedness

According to Baker, W. E., & Sinkula, J. M. (2015) Open-Mindedness denotes the willingness to swiftly search for proof against a person’s favoured goals, beliefs, plans, and to measure the evidence fairly when available (Baker, W. E., & Sinkula, J. M., 2015). Also, cultural open-mindedness refers to the ability of the individuals to be unprejudiced and open when encountering people who are distinct from their cultural group, and who might have varying norms, beliefs and values. Just like the cultural empathy, cultural open-mindedness is vital to help generate a good understanding regarding the values and rules of other cultures and to help cope with them effectively (Kashima et al., 2017). People who have a high open-mindedness are characterized by an unprejudiced and open attitude towards the cultural values, and norms of other people. Cultural-open-mindedness helps people to develop an open mentality ready to assimilate and appreciate the cultural values of other people. On the other hand, people with low culture open-mindedness are characterized by a susceptible attitude and the propensity to stereotype and judge other groups (Rozaimie, Huzaimah & Morni, 2017). Hence, it logical to conclude that people with a high score in the cultural open-mindedness can easily adjust to the new environmental settings since they can appreciate and embrace other people cultural norms, values and beliefs (Kashima et al., 2017). On the other hand, people with a low score on the cultural open-mindedness tend to experience difficulties adjusting to the new cultural, environmental settings since they never appreciate other people’s cultural norms, values and beliefs.

Open-mindedness inspires a willingness to criticize the new practice and thinking, receptiveness to evolving possibilities, consideration of varying perspectives, and sharing of the ideas (Kashima et al., 2017). It encompasses the act of having no or few stereotypic regarding cultural differences (Kashima et al., 2017). Its courier’s tolerance of an individual for various approaches and sensitivity for their mistakes (Sollie, 2010). People with cultural open-mindedness tend to put the opinions of other individuals into consideration before engaging in decision making. Hence the establishment of open-mindedness culture can lead to inquisitive of long-held beliefs and practices (Baker, W. E., & Sinkula, J. M. 2015).  The principal aim of open-mindedness culture to attempt to re-orientate norms, behaviours, and organizational values by altering cognitive structures, dominant logic, and mental models (Day, 2015). Also, culture open-mindedness can be viewed as the preparedness and readiness to engage in situation and willingness to question familiar viewpoints; it covers the readiness and willingness to query current practice and thinking, to be amenable to evolving possibilities, to share ideas and to put into consideration varying perspectives (Cotter, 2017). It denotes to the willingness and ability to learn about the differences and positively treat other people to enhance preserve and promote their culture (Hampel, 2008). People with cultural open-mindedness tend to listen carefully to other people’s explanations and views without prejudice (Cotter, 2017). Ultimately, cultural open-mindedness help exults and appreciate other people cultural norms, and beliefs, this, in turn, plays a significant role in the cross-cultural adjustment.

The existence of cultural open-mindedness culture in marriage is a vital key to the success of many marriages—maintenance of the union’s demands tremendous devotion from the female and male spouses living together. One of the critical elements of the marriages, despite the compromise, patience, and love, is an aptitude to develop an open-minded culture, especially when the spouses come from different cultural backgrounds (Hamed, 2012). Marrying someone from a different culture can be a challenging task; this is because each couple tends to have different perception regarding the norms, values and cultural beliefs (RIGGS, 2010). Some of the challenges experienced by the spouses who come from different cultural backgrounds include; language barrier, and religious beliefs (Bochner, C., Adams, T. E., & Ellis, A. P, 2011). However, with cultural open-mindedness amid the spouses, they can be able to overcome such challenges. Cultural open-mindedness enables the spouses to appreciate each other cultural differences and embrace the differences exhibited by their spouses in terms of the culture. Consequently, leading to the stability of their marriages and peace throughout their marriage.

Holland and Roisman claimed that a culture of openness in the marriage (couples from different cultural setting) could have a positive impact on the quality of a relationship (Holland & Roisman, 2008). Romantic spouses need to have that feeling that they can communicate openly regarding sensitive issues with their partners, they tend to feel dissatisfied whenever they are unable to have open communication with each other (Golish, 2002). Hence these indicate that cultural open-mindedness is a vital factor that can enhance the survival of every marriage. Female spouses tend to be affected adversely by the issue of lack of open communication between her and her male spouse. According to Afifi, T., & Steuber, K., female spouses tend to be most affected by a lack of cultural open-mindedness in the relationship compared to their male counterparts (Afifi, T., & Steuber, K., 2009). Afifi, T. D., Joseph, A., & Aldeis, D. (2012). Discovered that whenever female and male spouses are dissatisfied romantically in the relationship, they develop a tendency to elude conflict inducing topics between themselves, in such situation, female spouses are found to be the most affected group by the avoidance (Snachez 2003). Understanding of how avoidance tends to have a massive impact for females compared to males in a relationship could act as a good foundation for establishing more fulfilling relationships and happier marriages (Yamamura, 2010).

The other issue that determines cultural open-mindedness is the issue of conflict avoidance, dissatisfaction, and gender. Conflict avoidance happens when one of the spouses desist from communicating about a particular topic since it can lead to an argument. According to Kaiser (2011), conflict avoidance results in negative results; for instance, tenderness, dissatisfaction, as well as less cohesion. Conflict avoidance could also lead to a low level of intimacy. The issue of conflict avoidance can also lead to a rise in relational distress; married couples who avoid conflict tend to exhibit more dissatisfactions throughout their relationships as linked to spouses who engage in constructive conflict (Cohan, C. L., & Bradbury, T. N, 2011). One of the reasons why women are considered as the experts of the relationships can be deduced from the fact that women strive at introducing themselves regarding their relationships quite often compared to the way men identify themselves with their intimate relationships (Madson, 2011). The act of identifying oneself with the relationships can be deduced from the lifespan of the girls and men; most of the girls tend to always engage in chats with their peers.

Most of the researchers argue that the relation between dissatisfaction and avoidance needs to differ for women and men. However, they do not answer the reasons underlying such differences. The gender difference can be viewed as the chief cause of the discrepancy amid the ideals for sincerity in the U.S. and discernment of spouse avoidance tendencies. Relationship standards refer to the beliefs that are held by the individuals regarding the way that their relationship should exist (Tempier et al., 2006). Relationships standards are considered necessary since spouses whose relationship standards are accomplished are reported to have a higher-quality relationship (Baucom, 2011).  Open communication is one of the vital standards that is conveyed by both male and female spouses. Sentimental accessibility that contains affection demonstration, impact, and openness is a chief forecaster of the quality of a relationship (Daly, T. G.,2008). According to Weigel, communicating each day and sharing of the problems is a vital relationship standard (Weigel, 2008). Some of the other affiliations standards that are considered necessary include the following; affectively oriented abilities that include excellent management of the conflicts, offering comfort and ego support. Most of the female spouses and male spouses report the same relationship standards. For instance, a more significant portion of both the female and male spouses claims that affection is a vital tool necessary for enhancing the wellbeing of their relationship compared to sexuality (Fehr, E., Fischbacher, U., & Gächter, S., 2002). Generally, both the male and female spouses seemed to have the same perception regarding the forms of the beliefs, behaviours, and the values necessary for the wellbeing of their relationship.

To sum up, cultural open-mindedness is an important tool towards enhancing cultural adjustment amongst the expatriate families. Being able to recognize and appreciate the believes, norms and values of the host country enable the expatriate family to adjust more swiftly in the new environment. Lack of cultural open-mindedness, on the other hand, lowers the adjustment rate amongst the expatriate families. Also, cultural open-mindedness plays a significant role towards the success of intermarriages, spouses with the virtue of cultural open-mindedness can run their marriages more successfully compared to spouses who do not appreciate the existence of cultural open-mindedness (Snachez 2003). Relationship between two couples from distinct cultural settings needs cultural open-mindedness for it to prosper.

Cultural Adjustment

Cultural adjustment denotes to the procedure that is mandatory for an individual to go through to work efficiently and live securely in a new place or unfamiliar place. Residing in a new culture needs an individual to learn the habitual behaviours and cultural patterns of a particular community. Most of the female spouses encounter cultural adjustment once they indulge themselves in marriage; they are forced to adopt the various cultural trends being practised in the new environment. According to the U.S. Census (2016), about 10% of the entire married spouses in households involve spouses from varying ethnicities and races (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016). Some researchers argued that intermarried female couples tend to encounter difficulties due to the varying beliefs, views, attitudes, habits, and value systems (Lashutka, 2014). Intermarriages increase in the U.S. made more researchers develop an interest in investigating issues facing intermarriages such as the cultural adjustment (Roman 2008).

The process of cultural adjustment is often found to be uncomfortable and challenging (Furnham, 2011). Cultural adjustment is subdivided into three parts; Culture surprise, Culture Shock, and Culture Stress. Culture shock refers to the feeling of insecurity, anxiety, and disorientation that results from being subjected to an unfamiliar culture. It is the disorientation feeling experienced by an individual after suddenly being exposed to unfamiliar culture (Brewis, 2018). According to Shafer and Harris, F., & Kumar, A., various perspectives are put in place while striving to understand the female spouse’s adaptation (Shafer and Harris, F., & Kumar, A., 2018). Shafer established that adaptation of a female spouse is composed of three dimensions; the way they apt in local culture and customs, the meaning bestowed upon them to become a part of a particular culture, and the way they construct relationships with native citizens (Shafer, 2012). Bauer and Taylor argued that adaptation of the three dimensions’ rests on constructions of their personality in the fresh culture (Bauer and Taylor, 2001). Any feature of culture’s attitudes, values, norms, and power structures of behaviour can generate borders, tensions, and rifts that are hard for an outsider to navigate and pinpoint, this, in turn, contributes to the culture shock.

There exists a negative correlation between the expatriate family flexibility and cross-cultural adjustment. The various dimensions of the cross-cultural adjustment amongst the expatriate family include; cultural, psychological, organizational, personal and relational dimensions. All the above cross-cultural adjustment dimensions tend to have a significant impact on the expatriate family flexibility. The various challenges encountered by the expatriate families in their quest to cross-cultural adjustment include cultural, psychological and relational stressors, all the stressors tend to have a significant impact towards their cross-cultural adjustment. The inability of the family to adjust to a cross-cultural is defined as the greatest cause of expatriate failure. Children of the expatriate family might not be able to assimilate new cultural believes, values and norms within the new founded cultural environment, this, in turn, contributes to the failure of the expatriate family (Seward, 2008). Spouses of the expatriate family tend to encounter a huge challenge when exposed into a new culture, for instance, lack of enough preparation, cultural novelty and relocation tend to pose huge challenges towards the successful cultural adjustment (Sterle, Fontaine, De Mol & Verhofstadt, 2018). Male spouses are recorded to experience many challenges compared to female spouses; male spouses tend to feel isolated while in the new cultural environment due to small peer group (Yoo, 2017). They encounter problems establishing a new peer group in the host country; this, in turn, tends to affect the adjustment rate of the expatriate family (Golebiowaska 2007). Female personality traits such as assertiveness and sociability, on the other hand, tend to trigger the rate of cultural adjustment amongst the expatriate families. Women can establish new relationships with foreigners faster compared to male spouses. Hence female enhances faster adjustment in the cross-cultural environment amongst the expatriate families.