Women’s Emotional Work and Sacrifice in Romantic Relationships: Mankeeping

Öz

This study aims to introduce the concept of “mankeeping” into the Turkish academic literature by examining the caregiving behaviors of female partners toward their male partners in romantic relationships within the context of the concepts of self-sacrifice and emotional labor. The concept of mankeeping considered an extension of the “kinkeeping” theory of maintaining family relationships, is structured by discussing its fundamental differences from the relevant theory. In this context, the concept is defined through three core components: providing emotional support, facilitating the receipt of support, and the emotional and temporal burdens associated with these processes. The findings indicate that women’s caregiving behaviors toward their male partners in romantic relationships emerge as a means of addressing their partners’ unmet needs. However, it is evident that the forms of caregiving women provide to their male partners, as well as the effects of these behaviors on both the relationship itself and the female partners, have not yet been sufficiently clarified. Therefore, there is a need for research examining the ways in which women compensate for deficiencies in men’s social networks. Additionally, it is important to substantiate the effects of women’s caregiving behaviors toward male partners on the quality of the romantic relationship with concrete data. Previous studies shed light on the possibility that these processes may be associated with psychological distress in female partners. The effects of the burden of caregiving on women have not yet been sufficiently researched. It is believed that studies in this area will offer significant contributions to mental health professionals in terms of strengthening men’s social networks, supporting the well-being of female partners, and enhancing couple functionality in romantic relationships.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• mankeeping
• emotional work
• romantic relationships

Romantik İlişkilerde Kadınların Duygusal Emeği ve Fedakarlığı: Erkeğe Bakım Verme

Öz

Bu çalışma, romantik ilişkilerde kadın partnerlerin erkek partnerlerine yönelik bakım verme davranışlarını fedakârlık ve duygusal emek kavramları bağlamında inceleyerek “erkeğe bakım verme” (mankeeping) kavramını Türkçe alanyazına kazandırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Aile ilişkilerini sürdürme emeği (kinkeeping) teorisinin bir uzantısı olarak değerlendirilen erkeğe bakım verme kavramı, ilgili teoriden temel farklılıkları tartışılarak yapılandırılmıştır. Bu kapsamda kavram, duygusal destek sağlama, destek alımını kolaylaştırma ve bu süreçlerin beraberinde getirdiği duygusal ve zamansal yük olmak üzere üç temel bileşen üzerinden tanımlanmaktadır. Bulgular, romantik ilişkilerde kadınların erkek partnerlerine bakım verme davranışlarının, erkek partnerlerinin karşılanamayan ihtiyaçları giderme yönünde ortaya çıktığını göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte, kadınların erkek partnerlerine yönelik bakım verme biçimlerinin ve bu davranışların hem ilişkinin kendisinde hem de kadın partnerler üzerindeki etkilerinin henüz yeterince açıklığa kavuşmadığı görülmektedir. Bu nedenle, kadınların erkeklerin sosyal ağlarındaki eksiklikleri hangi yollarla telafi ettiklerini inceleyen araştırmalara ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Ayrıca, kadınların erkek partnerlerine yönelik bakım verme davranışlarının, romantik ilişkinin niteliği üzerindeki etkilerinin somut verilerle desteklenmesi önem taşımaktadır. Önceki çalışmalar, bu süreçlerin kadın partnerlerde psikolojik sıkıntıyla ilişkilendirilebileceğine yönelik ışık tutmaktadır. Partnere yönelik bakım verme yükünün kadınlar üzerindeki etkileri henüz yeterince araştırılmamıştır. Bu alanda yapılacak çalışmaların, erkeklerin sosyal ağlarının güçlendirilmesi, kadın partnerlerin iyi oluşlarının desteklenmesi ve romantik ilişkilerde çift işlevselliğinin artırılması açısından ruh sağlığı profesyonellerine önemli katkılar sunacağı düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• erkeğe bakım verme
• duygusal emek
• romantik ilişkiler

Kaynakça

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