THE RESOLUTION OF CONFLICT IN JOINT PURCHASE DECISIONS BY HUSBANDS AND WIVES (FAMILY, CONSUMER, PERSUASION, DISAGREEMENTS)

MARGARET CLAIRE NELSON, Purdue University

Abstract

Although theorists in various social science disciplines have addressed tactics of conflict management, the majority employ deductively based typologies. These often overlap, yet fail to agree on underlying structure. Studies based on these typologies vary widely in methodological rigor. Recently, a small body of literature has begun to inductively examine the tactics of conflict management. However, none of the latter studies and very few of the former have dealt with husbands and wives or with purchase-related conflicts. This lack of research is important, since one's choice of conflict management strategies has been shown to vary with the nature of the conflict and with the relationship of the parties involved. The primary goal of the present research was to summarize the conflict management strategies reported by husbands and wives in resolving joint purchase conflicts. A secondary goal was to examine the relationship between selected variables and subjects' reported choice of influence strategies. A mailed survey was employed. Subjects consisted of a nationwide sample of 284 married individuals. Nine factors seem to underlie these conflict management behaviors: use of an authority posture; punishments and threats; subtle manipulation or deception; persuasion; an egocentric point of view; manipulation of emotion; reason and cooperation; non-negotiation or fait-accompli; and creation of positive incentives for compliance. Sex role orientation and expectation of success seem to be useful variables in predicting choice of conflict management behaviors. Sex role modern individuals are more likely to use persuasion, reason, and cooperation in attempting to resolve purchase conflicts with their spouse. Those who expect to succeed are more likely to create positive incentives for compliance; those who do not are more likely to use non-negotiation or fait-accompli; and those who expect that they and their spouse are equally likely to succeed are more likely to use reason and cooperation. In contrast, one's gender, relative income contribution, and attribution of the usual decision making power in the relationship seem of relatively minor importance in predicting spouses' choice of influence strategies.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Social psychology

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