Chapter 9: The Marital System

1. Chapter 9: The Marital System

2. Transition to Marriage The transition to marriage is often marked by an elaborate wedding and extended honeymoon. Some of our wedding traditions date back to the Middle Ages, while others are from the 17th and 18th centuries. The modern honeymoon evolved as a way for the newly married couple to get to know each other away from the demands of daily life.

3. Division of Laborin Marriage The role of homemaker is seen as low status and less fulfilling and more routine than paid work. Employed women spend less time on housework than homemakers. Husbands of employed women spend some additional time, but not much. Across the globe, equality exists as an ideal, not a practice.

4. Theoretical Explanations forGender Differences in Housework Conflict and Feminist Theories see this as an example of how unequal opportunities for men and women and patriarchal gender ideologies affect family tasks. Exchange Theories posit that the division of labor is an outcome of negotiations between wives and husbands. Symbolic Interaction Theories assert that men are reluctant to do housework because it is associated with lower status “women’s work.”

5. Perceptions of Fairness • Married women perform most of the household tasks, but few perceive this as unfair. • Perceived fairness is related to: • Traditional gender role attitudes. • Distributive justice. • Wife’s self-blame.

6. Employed Women and Marriage The proportion of females in the labor force has risen dramatically in the last 30 years. Women’s Employment Affects: Family Violence Women’s Roles in Society Relationships with Husbands and Children Family Resources Women’s Self-Esteem and Self-Worth

7. Power in Intimate Relationships Power is the ability to influence others and affect their behavior. Power is often measured by determining who makes decisions and performs certain tasks. Social norms determine who has authority, or legitimate power.

8. Characteristics of Power Power is the capacity to influence others, not necessarily the exercise of that ability. An individual’s power must be viewed relative to specific social systems and statuses. Resources are the primary determinant of a person’s ability to influence others.

9. Power and Decision Making The classic study of power in marriage was done by Blood and Wolf in 1960. They found that the balance of power within marriage is weighted toward the partner who has the greatest resources, as perceived by the other partner.

10. Resource Theory Issues The resource theory proposition is a conceptual core around which other theories have been developed. Cultural Resources Theory stresses: The cultural context in which decision-making occurs Structural and material conditions Meanings attributed to those conditions

11. Egalitarian Ethic Feminist couples attempt to create higher marital quality through: Critiques of gender injustices and dialogues about expectations Public acts of equality Husband’s active support of wife’s activities and career Monitoring of each other’s contributions Emotional involvement of both partners

12. Assessing Marital Quality Martial Quality or Adjustment is a relative agreement as to important issues, task sharing and affection. Marital Success refers to permanence, companionship and fulfilled expectations. Marital Happiness is an individual emotional response. Marital Stability is the likelihood of the marriage ending in divorce.

13. Dimensions of Marital Quality Degree or nature of differences Degree or nature of communication Quality of the relationship Degree of social support and influence of social networks

14. Evaluating Marital Quality Spanier’s Dyadic Adjustment Scale: Satisfaction–happiness Cohesion–togetherness Consensus–agreement Affectional Expression– demonstrations of affection and love, sexual relations

15. Marital Quality BetweenGenerations Compared to older cohorts, younger persons report: Lower levels of interaction Higher levels of conflict Similar levels of happiness A stronger commitment to lifelong marriage These differences are due to changes over time in: Economic resources Work and family demands Wives’ gender role attitudes Premarital cohabitation

16. Marital Quality Over the Life Course Satisfaction with marriage is high in the early years, declines in the middle years, and increases during the empty nest. When plotted, this relationship exhibits a U-shaped curve.

17. Marital Quality Overthe Life Course In assuming a u-shaped curve, three precautionary notes must be made: The amount of change may not be that great or significant. Male-female differences in satisfaction tend to be overplayed, and are less pronounced later in life. Reports rely on cross-sectional data.

18. Marital Commitment Commitment is the desire to maintain a belief, behavior, or relationship. Components of Commitment Personal commitment Structural commitment Moral commitment

19. Marital Commitmentand Stability Marital alternatives may be a better predictor of marital disruption than are measures of satisfaction. Unhappy marriages may stay intact because the spouses have no alternatives or perceive the costs of dissolution as higher than the benefits.

20. Sex and Marriage Marriage legitimizes the sexual relationship. The frequency of marital coitus decreases with age. Husbands desire coitus more than their wives earlier in marriage; wives desire it more later in marriage.

21. Factors Related toMarital Sexuality Factors such as menstruation, pregnancy, and marital strain reduce the frequency of intercourse. Contraceptive usage is converging among religious groups in the U.S. Social class is an important determinant of sexual behavior.

22. Sexual Adjustmentin Marriage Dissatisfaction in marriage is reflected in the performance and frequency of marital coitus. Sexual inactivity may be symptomatic of other problems within the marital relationships.

23. Extramarital Sex Extramarital sex is legally punishable in many states, though prosecution is rare. Disapproval of extramarital sex for women is especially strong. This reflects a double standard.

24. Attitudes TowardsExtramarital Sex Over three-fourths of Americans surveyed in 1990 said that extramarital sex is “always wrong.” Religion significantly influences sexual exclusivity. Justifications for extramarital sex include sexual excitement, curiosity, and variety for men; love, affection, and companionship for women.

25. Same Sex Relationships Same sex couples are very similar to heterosexual couples in rituals and resource sharing. They differ on division of labor, power, closeness, autonomy, sexual relationships, and support networks.