1. Intercultural Relationships:The Social Science ApproachDifferences in Notions of Friendship What are the characteristics of a friend? How do ideas of friendship vary across cultures?Those two questions will be answered differently in every culture.Friendships are seen in many different ways across the world. Forexample, in most Western cultures, these relationships are seen asmostly voluntary and spontaneous, in contrast to family or workrelationships (Martin & Nakayama, 2010).Glenda Cecil

2. Cultural differences in notions about friendships are related to ideas aboutidentity and values, and every cultures value system is different. In western societies that value individualism and interdependence, they viewfriendships as voluntary. On the other hand, people in China who view theself always in relation to others, collectivists, believe that friendship is long-term, and involves obligations. Friendship in China offered assurances and an intimacy that we haveabandoned in America; it gave the Chinese psychic as well as materialrewards that we have lost. We ourselves did feel close to the Wangs [theirChinese friends], but as Westerners, the constant gift giving and obligationsleft us uneasy (Martin & Nakayama, 2010). The Social Science approach makes a unique contribution to ourunderstanding of how different cultures define relationships. In other words, whether it be through dealing with cross-cultural employees,co-workers, relatives, or friends, knowing this information about how eachculture defines relationships differently is essential in order to create andsustain those relationships. Glenda Cecil