Marital quality in arranged and couple‐initiated marriages: The role of perceived influence over partner selection

Abstract

Previous comparisons of relationship quality between individuals in couple‐initiated and arranged marriage have yielded inconsistent findings. One factor which may help to explain this inconsistency is variability in the way in which arranged and couple‐initiated marriages are practiced. To test this, we recruited 116 Bangladeshi women engaged to be married or within the first 3 years of couple‐initiated and arranged marriages. We tested to see which of three models (type of marriage only, perceived influence over partner selection only, and a model that included both relationship type and influence over partner selection) best accounted for variance in self‐reported intimacy, passion, commitment as well as positive and negative relationship quality. Results suggest that influence over partner selection is a better predictor of these outcomes than marriage type, with marriage type offering little if any information beyond that provided by perceived influence. Regardless of marriage type, women with greater influence over their partner selection reported higher levels of intimacy, passion, commitment and positive marital quality. Negative marital quality was unrelated. Future research may benefit from reconceptualising the arranged/couple‐initiated marriage dichotomy as a continuum.

Globalization, Sharia law, and cultural hybridity: A case of marriage preferences of young Bangladeshis

“…However, Peterson et al (2011) asked participants about their attitudes about arranged marriages and the importance of emotional connection. In concordance with the new approach to studying marital arrangements in South East Asia (e.g., Bhandari, 2017;Donner, 2016;Flicker et al, 2020;Sharangpani, 2010), we decided to widen our framework by including a cultural hybrid, i.e., "love-cum-arrange" marriages. We also decided that even Western-style love marriages in a strict sense are hardly possible in a conservative Muslim society; it would be interesting to check their attractiveness in young people's eyes.…”

Struggles in the Orthodox Jewish shidduch dating system—A large‐scale qualitative analysis

“…Furthermore, evidence suggests that if the couple themselves have agency in the choosing process, arranged marriages do no worse off than couple selected marriages in areas of intimacy, passion, and overall marriage quality (Flicker et al, 2020) Given the small sample size of the previous studies and anecdotal evidence regarding individual struggles within the shidduch system, it is important to expand this line of research to include (a) much larger sample size and (b) individuals from a broader age range, and (c) individuals from different sub socioreligious and geographic communities within Orthodox Judaism.…”

“…It is important to note that many positive experiences and aspects of the shidduch dating system also emerged within those studies. Furthermore, evidence suggests that if the couple themselves have agency in the choosing process, arranged marriages do no worse off than couple selected marriages in areas of intimacy, passion, and overall marriage quality (Flicker et al, 2020)…”

Gender differences in mate selection criteria among university students in Bangladesh: A study from the social homogamy perspective

“…At that time, the females had no choice to select their mates and only the males had the choice to select their mates ( Ahmed, 1986 ). But, this scenario has been changing gradually from 1980 to present ( Ahmed, 1986 ; Amin and Das, 2013 ; Flicker et al, 2020 ; Sabur, 2014 ; Yasmin, 2013 ). Nowadays, both Bangladeshi males and females have freedom and equal rights to choose their mates ( Amin and Das, 2013 ; Sabur, 2014 ; Szarota et al, 2021 ; Yasmin, 2013 ).…”