Determinants of Conjugal Influence in Wives' Employment Decision Making

Previous research has often focused on socioeconomic resources as a base qf conjugal power. Data from 378 married couples were used to test the applicability qf resource and social in explaining determinants qf influence within a specific decision-making area (wives' employment). As a result of sizeable discrepancies in spousal perceptions, perceived influence was analyzed fbr three groups: husbands, wives, and spouses whose perceptions coincided. Results indicate that with the exception of age, differences in conjugal resources are unimportant in explaining influence. However, increments in wives' resources correlate positively with wives' influence, while increments in husbands' resources correlate negatively with husbands' influence. Furthermore, these relationships were stronger among husbands' perceptions than among wives' perceptions in a multivariate analysis. Support for Heer's (1963) exchange theory, and Rodman's (1972) theory ofresources in a cultural context' was fbund. It is argued that as both wives and husbands rise in the socioeconomic structure, women become less economically dependent upon their spouses, while men are socialized into an egalitarian ethic. Both factors facilitate greater influence in the area qf employment decision making !fr married women.