Consensus in the Marital Dyad: Couples' Perceptions of Contraception,Communication, and Family Life

Abstract

The present study was based on data collected (separately for husbands and wives) from 365 couples to determine levels of consensus on a series of variables related to the family forming process. Following Scheff (1967), consensus was operationalized as both agreement and coorientation in the marital dyad. The data generally indicated low levels of consensus on such variables as contraceptive efficacy, desired family size, child spacing, unwanted pregnancies, communication with spouse, and levels of alienation. The results are discussed within the framework of family planning and effective fertility control.     

Labor force participation and family formation: A study of working mothers

Drawing upon a sample of 638 mothers aged 18 to 40, with at least some marital work experience, significant associations were found between the extent, kind, and timing of employment and a series of family formation variables. Generally lower fertility, longer first birth intervals, and earlier use of birth control were associated with the longest work durations, the highest status jobs, and work before the birth of the first child. The data failed, however, to differentiate desired family size.     

Consensus in the marital dyad: couples' perceptions of contraception,communication, and family life

The present study was based on data collected separately for husbands and wives from 365 couples to determine levels of consensus on a series of variables related to the family forming process. Following Scheff (1967), consensus was operationalized as both agreement and coorientation in the marital dyad. The data generally indicated low levels of consensus on such variables as contraceptive efficacy, desired family size, child spacing, unwanted pregnancies, communication with spouse, and levels of alienation. It becomes clear that survey research data collected solely from wives or husbands contain an important source of error - a selective distortion of the facts about family life and fertility behavior in many instances. Disparities in perceptions and world views suggest the importance of treating the couple as a unit in studies of relationships between alienation and fertility behavior. The lack of consensus within the marital dyad may constitute a major obstacle to rational decision making, particularly on sensitive topics and in areas surrounded by high levels of ego involvement. Couples not only disagree but lack awareness of their disagreements. This information suggests that many crucial family events are not planned. It becomes more appropriate to question whether decisions are made at all, and if so, to what extent, under what conditions and by whom.     

Social Class Correlates of Stability and Change in Levels of Alienation: a Longitudinal Study

Identical allenation items were used on questionnaires administered to 334 subjects in 1963 and again in 1971. Drawing upon the variables of powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, and social isolation, an analysis was made of stability and change in alienation scores. The direction of change was toward disproportionate increases over decreases, with the largest increase occurring for normlessness. Differential educational and occupational status, along with other social characteristics, were examined for sources of subsequent change in different measures of alienation. The results indicated significant differences in levels of alienation by socioeconomic variables at the two points in time. The amount of change, however, was not differentiated by changes in socioeconomic characteristics.     

Fertility decision making,unintended births,and the social drift hypothesis: A longitudinal study

To explore relationships between fertility intentions and subsequent childbearing, data were collected from 334 mothers in a metropolitan area in 1963 and again in 1971, allowing for a time interval of eight years for testing a series of hypotheses on fertility control. The results suggested that social psychological obstacles to decision making should be taken into account as potential qualifiers of the more rational models of fertility behavior currently prevalent in the literature. The alienation variable of meaninglessness was examined in conjunction with education, age at marriage, marital duration, and previous parity. The analyses indicated that pregnancies for many women are experienced as occurrences, happenings, or unintended events within a social psychological context of social drift.Research support pursuant to contract NIH-71-2028 with the Center for Population Research, NICHD, is gratefully acknowledged, as is the assistance of David W. Chilson in the processing of the data. Request reprints from either author, Sociology Department, Bowling Green University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403.