Abstract

Dating constitutes an important activity in two developmental stages: adolescence and young adulthood (Sheming & Jiping, 2000). Dating is seen as recreation or an opportunity to have fun, as a means of status grading, as an opportunity for companionship with members of the opposite sex, and also as a way of sorting and preference. Lindenwood University has a very diverse student body. Many students that attend Lindenwood University are from many different places on the globe. The student body of Lindenwood University assumes that they are one in the same, but that assumption ranges in many aspects. Dating is one area that different cultures view differently. I am African American, and a friend of mine of the same race was interested in a Chinese girl. Since I knew the Chinese girl he asked me if I could ask her if she would be interested in going on a date with him. I went to her and told her that my friend was interested in her and wanted to talk, and immediately in a very distressed manner she responded, “ I’m not like that,” and walked away in a panic. To this very day I am still very puzzled about the incident. I know that societies are different but this incident flamed my curiosity. I am hypothesizing that American born young adults hold the same liberal attitudes about dating as Americans. Attitudes being defined as Americans such as dating very young, date more frequently, and are more likely to engage in sexual relationships as opposed to their first generation Chinese young adult immigrants.

Recommended Citation

Pearson, Relinda (2002) "Research Proposal: Cultural Differences in Dating," Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 7.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/psych_journals/vol1/iss1/7