Couples - Resources and Decision-Making in Households Flashcards
What do Barrett and McIntosh (1991) state that men gain more of?
State men gain more from women’s domestic work than they give in financial support
What do Barrett and McIntosh (1991) state about the financial support given by husbands to their wife?
Financial support given by husbands to their wives is unpredictable and comes with ‘strings attached’
What do Barrett and McIntosh (1991) state about spendings decisions in couples?
Men usually make important spending decisions
Which sociologists identify two types of control over family income?
Feminist sociologists Pahl and Vogler (1993)
2 types of control over family income according to P+V
Allowance system
Pooling
Allowance system
Breadwinner (usually husband) gives partner (usually wife) an allowance which they have to budget to meet family’s needs
Which sociologists used data from the International Social Survey Programme to find 5 money management systems?
Vogler, Brockmann and Wiggins (2007)
5 money management systems that V+B+W found in 2007
Female whole wage management system
Male whole wage system/housekeeping allowance
Joint pooling system
Partial pooling system
Independent management system
Female whole wage management system
Woman manages all money
Male whole wage management system / housekeeping allowance
Man manages all money
Joint pooling system
All money is pooled and shared equally
Partial pooling system
Money is pooled but each partner keeps some money
Independent management system
No money is pooled
What couples is pooling more common among?
Couples where both partners are working full-time
Where pooled income is controlled by the husband (male whole wage management system), who mostly makes the major financial decisions?
The man
What did P+V find about who makes the major financial decisions even when money is pooled?
Even when it’s pooled, men usually make major important financial decisions
What did Edgell find about who makes different decisions in professional couples from their 1980 study?
Very important decisions either taken by man alone or joint with husband having final say
Important decisions usually taken jointly
Less important decisions often taken by woman
Very important decisions examples
Financial decisions
Job changes
House moves
Important decisions examples
Children’s education
Holiday destination
Less important decisions examples
Home decor
Children’s clothing
Food purchases
Why does Edgell believe that men usually make the biggest decisions?
Because they tend to earn more (money=power)
What contradicting evidence to Edgell did Gershuny find in their 1995 study?
70% of couples said they had an equal say in decisions
Material explanation for decision making
Most important decisions made by highest earners
What explanation for decision making do feminists agree with?
Cultural explanation
What are inequalities in decision making a result of according to feminists?
Due to the cultural definition of men as decision making that is engrained in both men and women in patriarchal society
When will decision making become equal according to feminists?
When cultural definition of men as decision makers is challenged
How did Vogler find that partners keeping their money separately doesn’t always mean inequality?
Found cohabiting couples were less likely to pool their money but more likely to share domestic tasks equally
Personal life perspective on money
Perspective focuses on the meanings couples give to who controls money
Example of how meanings that couples give to money in relationship cannot be taken for granted (personal life perspective)
We might associate inequality with one person controlling the money but other couples may not
What did Smart find about same-sex couples? (Personal life perspective)
Found they often give different meanings to control of money within a relationship as they attach no importance to who controls the money
Quote by Smart about same-sex couples’ control of money
They don’t go into relationships with ‘historical, gendered, historical baggage of cultural meanings around money’ that see money as source of power
What is essential according to personal life perspective supporters?
To always start from the personal meanings of actors involved in situations
