RELOCATION AND PRIVACY REGULATION - A CROSS-CULTURAL-ANALYSIS

Although privacy needs may be universal, the exact mechanisms used to regulate privacy can vary considerably from culture to culture. Conseq uently, when individuals relocate across cultures, privacy regulation with new neighbours may involve an incongruity between previously-lear ned privacy mechanisms and those prescribed by the new culture of resi dence. These disruptions in ability to regulate privacy can be particu larly problematic given that effective regulation may relate to place attachment and a sense of well-being. Survey responses made by Asian a nd American students in the U.S.A. support this hypothesis. Compared t o U.S.A. students, Asians had more difficulty establishing contacts wi th their new neighbours. However, as interaction with family within th e home is an 'intra-cultural' phenomenon, these students did not have difficulty regulating privacy with family. The possible universal impo rtance of privacy regulation was supported for both U.S.A. and Asian s tudents in that effective regulation was related to place attachment a nd this attachment was related to a subjective sense of well-being. (C ) 1995 Academic Press Limited