Assignment of Responsibility for Marital Conflict to Husbands and Wives: Sex Stereotypes or a Double Standard?

Abstract

Male and female students from three universities were asked to rate how much conflict in six areas of marriage is caused by the husband and how much conflict is caused by the wife. It was concluded that both males and females still hold to the stereotype of assigning responsibility for conflict in housekeeping to wives and responsibility for conflict in family finances to husbands. Males in one sample showed a double standard by blaming wives more than husbands for over-all conflict in marriage. Females were equal in over-all attribution of marital conflict to husbands and wives.