Happy or Calm? A Daily Diary Study on Couple Emotions Associated with Well-Being in Belgium and Japan

Cultural backgrounds contribute to unique modalities of relating with our intimate partners, profoundly influencing the emotional dynamics that unfold within these relationships. Drawing on cultural models of relationship goals, the present study examined whether couples’ everyday dyadic emotional experiences differ between Belgium and Japan and whether couples’ emotional profiles that align with culturally normative relational goals are linked to individual and relational well-being. In a 14-day daily study, partners from 150 mixed-sex couples (75 Belgian and 75 Japanese) rated their emotional experiences daily. Using cluster analysis on self-reported partners’ emotions, we identified five emotion profiles: (1) couple high negative/low positive emotions, (2) male partner high negative/low positive emotions, (3) couple high positive emotions, (4) couple disconnected, (5) couple calm. Results showed significant cross-cultural differences in profile prevalence, with the number of days couples spent in the ‘couple high positive emotions’ profile higher in Belgium than in Japan, whereas the number of days in the ‘couple disconnect’ profile and in the ‘couple calm’ profile was higher in Japan than in Belgium. For Belgian partners, the number of days spent within the ‘couple high positive emotions’ profile was positively associated with both individual and relational well-being, whereas the number of days spent in the ‘couple high negative/low positive emotions’ profile was negatively associated only with individual well-being. For Japanese partners, only the number of days spent within the ‘couple calm’ profile was positively associated with both individual and relational well-being. These findings underscore the cultural embeddedness of dyadic emotional life and suggest that emotional fit with culturally valued relational goals supports positive outcomes.