This study examines whether communication and culturally embedded concepts influence
cross-cultural similarities and differences in marital role conceptions. Young adults
from the US, China, South Korea, Japan, India and Malaysia responded to a series of openended
questions about marriage and marital roles. Analytic induction methods produced
categories across six topics (good wife/bad wife, good husband/bad husband, good marriage/
bad marriage). Results showed even greater variation in marital role conceptions than
hypothesized. Only East Asians nominated a family home focus more and only Chinese and
Koreans considered respectfulness and gentleness more for the good wife role than did US
participants. Loving/caring nominations did not differ across the cultural groups except for
greater nominations by US participants for the good marriage and good wife role conceptions,
and proportions of controlling/abusive behaviors did not differ except for the Indian
group’s higher nominations for the bad wife role. Communication expectations for marital
roles showed some cross cultural similarity, as both US and Asian participants rated communication
characteristics as more important than attractiveness/ability characteristics,
but only for the good wife/husband roles.