Verwaltung und Entscheidung – Bestimmt das individuelle Einkommen die Machtverteilung in Paarbeziehungen?

Abstract

In order to avoid the underestimation of social inequality in households and in the wider society, couples’ power structure and, more specially, the factors, which generate this power, are important to explore. According to the social exchange theory, the resource theory and the cooperative-bargaining-model, power is generated by individual resources – most notably the income. This study examines the influence of the individual income, as well as the household income and of children on power within heterosexual marriages and cohabitations in Germany. Power, defined as implementing power and orchestration power, is measured through money management and decision-making. The study is based on the German Socio-Economic Panel Study in 2005. Descriptive analysis and multinomial logistic regression models reveal that women’s power disadvantages exist independently from their income. In addition, gender ideologies underlie the power allocation within partnerships. Money is not an objective resource, which provides power to women and men equally. In future research, the role of individual norms and values on power within couples has to be further explored. Therefore, theoretical approaches other than rational-choice theories have to be developed.