couples- money and decision making

Question 1

Barrett and McIntosh

Answer 1

-men gain more from women doing housework than they give back in financial support

-financial support comes with ‘strings attached’

-men make the decisions about spending on important items

Question 2

Pahl and Vogler

Answer 2

Two main types of control over family income:

-The allowance system: men give women an allowance that they have to budget to meet family needs, with men keeping any surplus for themselves

-The Pooling system: both partners have access to the income and joint responsibility for expenditures

Question 3

Finch

Answer 3

Women’s lives tend to be structured around their husband’s careers

Question 4

Hardill

Answer 4

Men make most of the important decisions and their careers take priority

Question 5

Edgell

Answer 5

Very important decisions were either taken by the husband alone, or jointly, with the husband having final say

Important decisions were taken jointly, seldom by the wife alone

Less important decisions were made by the wife

(women are dependent on their husbands financially, so they make less of the decisions)

Question 6

Smart (PLP)

Answer 6

Gay and lesbian couples attach no importance to who controls the money. They don’t see the control of money as holding a lot of weight.

Question 7

Vogler

Answer 7

Co-habiting couples are less likely to pool, possibly as a way to keep independence