Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseDecision making is a crucial aspect of family life that reveals a lot about how power is distributed between partners. The way couples make decisions about money, childcare, household tasks and major life choices reflects their conjugal role relationship and the power dynamics within the family.
Key Definitions:
In traditional families, decision making tends to be segregated by gender. The husband/male partner typically makes major financial decisions and those related to work outside the home, while the wife/female partner makes decisions about childcare, food and household management. This reflects a patriarchal structure where men hold more power.
In more modern, symmetrical families, decision making is shared more equally between partners. Both have input into major decisions like moving house, changing jobs, or making large purchases. Day-to-day decisions may be divided based on interest or expertise rather than gender.
Sociologists have identified several patterns of decision making that occur in families. These patterns tell us about the distribution of power between partners.
In their classic 1960 study, sociologists Blood and Wolfe identified four main types of decision making in families:
The husband makes most major decisions with little input from his wife. This was traditionally common in areas like buying a car or deciding where to live.
The wife makes most decisions in specific areas, traditionally related to food, childcare and household decoration.
Decisions are made together through discussion and compromise. This pattern has become more common in modern families.
Each partner makes decisions independently in their own areas of responsibility, with little consultation with the other partner.
In their study of 731 families in Detroit, USA, Blood and Wolfe found that husbands had more decision-making power when they contributed more resources to the family (like income, education and status). They called this the 'resource theory of power' - the partner who brings more resources to the relationship tends to have more power in decision making.
Family decision making in the UK has changed dramatically over the past century, reflecting broader social changes in gender roles and family structures.
In the early 20th century, UK families typically followed a traditional patriarchal model where men made most major decisions. The husband was considered the 'head of household' and had legal control over family finances and property. Women often had little say in major decisions and limited financial independence.
Since the 1970s, there has been a significant shift toward more egalitarian decision making. Research shows that most couples now make major decisions jointly, especially regarding children's education, moving house and large purchases. Day-to-day decisions are more likely to be divided based on practical considerations rather than strict gender roles.
Several key factors affect how decisions are made within families:
Who earns more money often influences decision-making power. However, studies show that even when women are primary breadwinners, they don't always gain proportional decision-making power - a phenomenon sociologists call the 'paradox of power'.
Higher levels of education, especially for women, are associated with more egalitarian decision making. Education provides knowledge, confidence and often economic resources that can balance power in relationships.
Cultural and religious backgrounds strongly influence family decision making. Some cultures maintain more traditional gender-based decision patterns, while others promote more equal sharing of power.
Sociologist Stephen Edgell conducted important research on family decision making in the UK in the 1980s. He found that even in families that appeared egalitarian on the surface, men often retained final say in major decisions - what he called 'orchestration power'. Women might make more day-to-day decisions, but men often had veto power over the most significant choices.
Jan Pahl's research in the 1980s examined how couples manage money and make financial decisions. She identified several systems:
Pahl found that pooling and independent systems were becoming more common in the UK, reflecting more egalitarian relationships.
Decision-making patterns vary across different family structures:
Research suggests that same-sex couples often have more egalitarian decision-making patterns than heterosexual couples. Without traditional gender roles to fall back on, these couples typically develop decision-making processes based on individual strengths, interests and practical considerations rather than gender.
In single-parent families, one adult makes most decisions, though older children may have more input than in two-parent families. Single parents often develop support networks that may influence decision making, including extended family, friends, or co-parents who live elsewhere.
While research on family decision making provides valuable insights, it has limitations:
Recent sociological research shows that while UK families have become more egalitarian in decision making, gender still influences the process in subtle ways:
Digital technology has changed how families make decisions. Online research, family WhatsApp groups and shared digital calendars mean information and consultation can happen continuously rather than in formal discussions. Research suggests women often take on more of this 'digital household management'.
Feminist sociologists point out that power in decision making isn't just about who makes the final choice, but also who sets the agenda, defines what needs deciding and takes responsibility for implementing decisions - roles often taken by women that represent hidden forms of work and power.
The COVID-19 pandemic created new decision-making challenges for families. Research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that during UK lockdowns, women took on more childcare and homeschooling decisions, even when both partners worked from home. However, some families developed more egalitarian patterns as traditional work arrangements were disrupted, allowing for renegotiation of roles and responsibilities.
When answering iGCSE Sociology questions about decision making in families: