Even though egalitarianism in family power is emphasized in educated, middle-class
marital ideology in the United States, it is not always practiced. People desire
power, the ability to carry out one's will even in the face of resistance, for
a variety of reasons. Family and marital power involves the power relationship
in the family and in the marriage dyad. One of the most important measures of
power is being able to make a final decision. There are many sources of power,
as well as types of marital power patterns, which concern the distribution of
power within the married couple as well as its relationship to marital adjustment
and satisfaction. Power is applied through various power processes and power
tactics. Power can be neutralized in a variety of ways. Power relationships
can have different effects on individual and marital satisfaction, with extreme
imbalances tending to have a negative effect for both the power holder and the
power subject. Marital satisfaction is maximized when a power relationship is
acceptable to both spouses. Empowerment, or personal power, is also a way to
resolve inequity and thus improve marital satisfaction. One of the most important requirements for a satisfying marriage is the
ability to communicate. Communication can be accomplished verbally or nonverbally
and can be helpful or harmful. Four categories of barriers to communication
are physical and environmental, situational, gender, and psychological. Women
and men learn, practice and have reinforced different styles of interacting
as a result of growing up in two different sex-separated cultures. Good communication
involves high motivation and concern, willingness to disclose oneself, ability
to transmit messages clearly, good listening, feedback and reciprocity of messages
for clarity. Couples can learn to argue constructively instead of allowing issues
of closeness and control lead to over reaction and quarraling. |
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education