PSY 409b October 3, 2006

Making Changes

By Christina Delapena

 

 

Instructions for this activity are found at:

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm

Instructor: Dr. Leon James

 

Coleman, Joshua Ph.D. (2005).  The Lazy Husband.  (New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press).  Reviewing pages 25 to 48.

 

I. The Problem with Motherhood

a.                  Person who cares most has least bargaining power.

i.        Example: Couple gives birth; mother is immediately attached while father is not at as much.

ii.                  Father has more barraging power because father is not as strongly motivated in baby's discomfort while mother has less bargaining Ýpower because of greater investment in child.

 

II. Male Status at Bargaining Table for Change

1.      Give him sense of fair play and let him know why he should care enough to pitch in his share with caring for the kids and housework.

2.      Recommend to him that if he changes his behavior, it will benefit him in someway.Ý For example: More quality time together.

3.      Let him know that in a relationship, it's give and take; give a favor, receive a favor and vice versa.

4.      Express to him how much you're pitching in your share through lists, trading places for a day, or simply just telling him.

5.      Be straightforward and clearly let him know that you're unhappy with the current arrangement.Ý Then list ways of what he can do to make you happy.

6.      Knowing what his priorities and pet peeves are can improve your bargaining position.Ý Go over with him what is his top numbered priorities and encourage him to change.

7.      Consider eliminating some of the chores by keeping things simple and getting your kids to more.

8.      Make trades with him by letting him know that you'll exchange things/behaviors he values for what you value.

9.      Improve your bargaining power making long- and short-term approaches such as increasing your financial power by going back to work or improving your beauty.

 

II. Bargaining Power with the Divorce Culture

a.      Divorce has increased women's power to say to their husband if they don't change, they will leave.

i.        But yet, women are more punished because they don't have that financial stability as the men.

b.      Gives them more bargaining power because a divorce may make her life not as stressful than it already it is.

 

III. The Lack of the Husband's Power

a.      If the wife earns more than the husband, the husband generally does more parenting and housework.

b.      Sometimes, it doesn't matter who makes more, it's also a meaning of who's more invested in the marriage.

 

 

Related Links

Why Women Experience Depression More Than Men Do

http://selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/depress/womendepress.html

This website explains a study performed by two psychologists in regards to why women become more depressed than men do.Ý Social conditions and personality characteristics contribute to the gender differences in depressive symptoms.Ý Some factors included great loads of housework and childcare.

 

Working Women Do More Chores Than Men

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6011245

This website talks about a survey conducted on 21,000 people on their activities during an average day last year.Ý Results found that employed women do an hour more per day of housework than employed men.Ý Also, men found more leisure time in their day (5.4 hours) than women (4.8 hours).

 

Women Feel More Rushed Than Men

http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060125_women_rush.html

This website describes a study that was conduced in regards to why women feel more in a hurry than men.Ý One factor was increased workload of paid work, household chores, childcare, and personal tasks.Ý Another factor was that women feel that they are the ones responsible for the housework and childcare.

 

 

 

My Homepage is: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409bf2006/delapena/delapena-home.htm

 

Class Homepage: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm