Resources and decision making in households

What do Barrett and McIntosh argue about men’s gains from domestic labour?

Men gain more from women’s domestic labour than they give in financial support.

What do Barrett and McIntosh say about men’s financial support?

Financial support is often unpredictable and comes with strings attached.

According to Barrett and McIntosh, who usually makes important decisions?

Men usually make decisions on important items.

What did Kempson find about women in low‑income families?

Women deny their own needs to make ends meet, such as skipping meals.

How do women view spending money on themselves, according to Kempson?

Women see it as money that could have been used on the children.

What happens to resource sharing in households with adequate incomes?

Resources may still be shared unequally, leaving women in poverty.

What is the allowance system described by Pahl and Vogler?

The man gives his wife an allowance to budget for the family while keeping any surplus for himself.

What is pooling according to Pahl and Vogler?

Both partners have access to income and joint responsibility for spending.

What did Finch find about women’s lives in marriage?

Women’s lives tend to be structured around their husbands’ lives.

What did Hardill find about important decisions?

Important decisions were usually made by the husband, alone or jointly, and his career took priority.

What did Edgell find about very important decisions?

Very important decisions, such as moving house, were made by the husband alone or jointly with him having the final say.

Who makes important decisions like children’s education, according to Edgell?

They are made jointly and rarely by the wife alone.

Who makes less important decisions, according to Edgell?

Less important decisions, such as food purchases, are usually made by the wife.

Why do men usually make the decisions, according to Edgell?

Because they earn more and women are economically dependent.

What did Laurie and Gershuny find about high‑earning women?

High‑earning or well‑qualified women are more likely to have an equal say in decisions.

What is the feminist explanation for unequal decision‑making?

Inequality is due to patriarchal society and gender role socialisation, not earnings.

What does Pahl argue about pooling money?

Pooling does not mean equality; it depends on who controls the money and how much each partner contributes.

What did Vogler et al. find about cohabiting couples?

Cohabiting couples are less likely to pool money but more likely to share domestic tasks.

What does Nyman argue about the meaning of money?

Money has no fixed meaning; couples define it differently, reflecting their relationship.

What does the personal life perspective say about money control?

One partner controlling money does not necessarily mean inequality.

What did Smart find about same‑sex couples and money?

Same‑sex couples attached no importance to who controlled the money and were happy to leave it to their partner.

Why do same‑sex couples have more freedom in money arrangements, according to Smart?

They do not have the same historical heterosexual baggage or cultural meanings around money as power.

What did Weeks et al. find about money management?

Some couples pool money for household spending but keep separate accounts for personal spending.

What does Weeks say this system of separate accounts reflects?

A value of co‑independence, where partners maintain control over some money while staying connected.