Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

1998

Thesis Director

Shirley Staske

Abstract

This study explores intercultural romantic couples and their interactive construction of relational culture. Qualitative methods of inquiry appeared most useful for identifying the processes involved in the social construction of intimates' shared reality and, so, both Conversation Analysis and Joint Interviews were utilized. Five romantic couples whose partners were socilaized within different cultural communities participated in the study. Findings of this study suggest that intercultural romantic couples import cultural resources from their individual cultures into their joint relational culture. These cultural resources included foods, traditions, language, and values. Findings of ths study also suggest that two types of communicative episodes, intimate play and the negotiation of misunderstandings, were particularly important in the couples' construction of a shared relational culture.

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