Concepts of Life and Partnership in West and East Germany, Czech Republic and Poland : Findings and explanations from a research of personal advertisements
Abstrakt
The experience of intercultural irritation and misunderstanding encouraged us to look for a way to systematically describe cultural specifics. The analysis of personal ads from West and East Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland allowed for the reconstruction of culture-specific concepts of life and partnership.
The West German concept of life shows - probably thanks to the relatively high level of prosperity and fostered by the democratic tradition of the old Federal Republic - the most individualistic and post-materialist orientation. The East German as well as the Czech concept of life and partnership show - probably thanks to the communist past - clearly collectivist and secular-rational as well as materialistic characteristics.
The Polish concept of life and partnership is most oriented towards traditional and materialistic values. This is probably due to the importance of religion and comparatively lower level of wealth in Poland.