Some more abstracts

de Munck, V. C., Korotayev, A., de Munck, J., & Khaltourina, D. (2011). Cross-Cultural Analysis of Models of Romantic Love Among US Residents, Russians, and Lithuanians. Cross-Cultural Research, 45(2), 128-154.

Our goal was to detect and describe a common “core” structure of romantic love and to also discover and explain variations due to cultural or gender differences between three national cultures: the United States, Russia, and Lithuania. Our sample consisted of 262 American males, 362 American females, 166 Russian males, 130 females, 102 Lithuanian males, and 135 Lithuanian females—a total of 1,157 people. Our analysis was derived from (a) a 14-item questionnaire; (b) freelist responses to the question “What do you associate with romantic love?” and (c) interview and focus group data. The questionnaire was devised by employing well-known quotations about romantic love that cover a range of feelings and perceptions of love. Our results showed that there is no overall consensus but there was cross-cultural consensus on five variables: intrusive thinking, happiness; passion; altruism; and improve well-being of partner. In the freelist portion, we also found some significant similarities—particularly the desire to be together was ranked first across all three cultures. However key cultural differences were found. Friendship and comfort love were critical features of romantic love for the U.S. sample, but nonexistent for the Lithuanian and Russian samples. Conversely, the latter two samples saw love as “unreal,” “temporary,” and “a fairytale.” These cultural differences were explored through interviews and shown to serve as different cultural frames used to interpret similar emotional complexes. We suggest that the differences do not affect the evolutionary functions of romantic love and are adaptations to different types of social organizations. The etic-emic approach used in this cross-cultural research provides for a more nuanced, ethnographically sound, and cross-culturally valid description and analysis of the form and function of romantic love cross culturally than does either approach by itself.

Kirschenbaum, R. J., & Reis, S. M. (1997). Conflicts in creativity: Talented female artists. Creativity Research Journal, 10(2-3), 251-263.
A comparative case study approach was used to investigate the development of artistic talent among female artists who also raise families. intensive interviews with 10 female artists who had children were conducted. The artists revealed that their priority in life was their family but that their art also was essential for creative self-expression. Artistic productivity was dependent on a number of factors, including self-discipline; financial support and security; spousal encouragement and support; childrearing responsibilities; job demands; access to artistic materiddequipment; and workspace availability. The female artists in this study indicated they often faced dtficult choices related to
creative expression and development because their relationships
with their husbands and, especially, their
children open diverted their attention from their art.
However, they all persevered and continued with their
art. Ironically, the obstacles they encountered-such as
the absence of supportfrom spouses andparents, financial
difiulties, and time necessary to raise their children-
were perceived by these women as contributing
in some ways to their creative process and the development

of their identities as artists.