Power, Confict & Intimacy Power, Confict & IntimacyPOWER - Key Terms POWER - Key TermsPower - the ability or potential ability to infuence another person or group, to get people to do what you want them to do whether they want to or not. Power bases the economic and personal assets such as income, economic independence, commitment and both physical and psychological aggression. Power processes Interactional techniques or methods that partners or spouses use to try to gain control over the relationship, the partner or both, such as persuasion, problem solving or demandingnessPower - the ability or potential ability to infuence another person or group, to get people to do what you want them to do whether they want to or not. Power bases the economic and personal assets such as income, economic independence, commitment and both physical and psychological aggression. Power processes Interactional techniques or methods that partners or spouses use to try to gain control over the relationship, the partner or both, such as persuasion, problem solving or demandingnessPOWER Key Terms POWER Key TermsPower outcomes this can be observed in such things as who has the fnal say and determines or potentially could determine and control the outcome of attempted decision maing Power imbalances if partners are not equal, self!disclosure may be inhibited, especially if the powerful person believes that his or her power will be lessened bu sharing feelings Power outcomes this can be observed in such things as who has the fnal say and determines or potentially could determine and control the outcome of attempted decision maing Power imbalances if partners are not equal, self!disclosure may be inhibited, especially if the powerful person believes that his or her power will be lessened bu sharing feelings ources o! "arital Power ources o! "arital Power"he husband and wife are as one and that one is the husband.! # woman assumes #er #usban$%s i$entity by taing his surname on marriage and living in his house. $% courts institutionali&e$ t#ese power relations#ips law& division of labor in many states stating that the husband is legally responsible for supporting the family and the wife legally responsible for maintaining the house and rearing the children.$ltimately this was replaced by a more e'alitarian mo$el in which marriage was a partnership between equals, each of whom retained an independent legal e'istence, en(oyed the same rights, and held mutual responsibilities. "he husband and wife are as one and that one is the husband.! # woman assumes #er #usban$%s i$entity by taing his surname on marriage and living in his house. $% courts institutionali&e$ t#ese power relations#ips law& division of labor in many states stating that the husband is legally responsible for supporting the family and the wife legally responsible for maintaining the house and rearing the children.$ltimately this was replaced by a more e'alitarian mo$el in which marriage was a partnership between equals, each of whom retained an independent legal e'istence, en(oyed the same rights, and held mutual responsibilities. ources o! "arital Power ources o! "arital Power)ho maes decisions and who is perceived to be more powerful* If we want to see how power wors in marriage, we need to loo beneath gender stereotypes and avoid overgenerali+ations. )ho maes decisions and who is perceived to be more powerful* If we want to see how power wors in marriage, we need to loo beneath gender stereotypes and avoid overgenerali+ations. E(planations o! "arital Power E(planations o! "arital PowerRelati)e lo)e an$ nee$ t#eory e'plains power in terms of the individual,s involvement and needs in the relationship. -ach partner brings certain resources, feelings and needs to a relationship. )hat each gives and receives, however, may not be equal. Principle o! least interest describes the situation in which the partner with the least interest in continuing a relationship en(oys the most power in it. "he less involved partner may threaten to leave as leverage in an argument. "his may be used to coerce a dependent partner Relati)e lo)e an$ nee$ t#eory e'plains power in terms of the individual,s involvement and needs in the relationship. -ach partner brings certain resources, feelings and needs to a relationship. )hat each gives and receives, however, may not be equal. Principle o! least interest describes the situation in which the partner with the least interest in continuing a relationship en(oys the most power in it. "he less involved partner may threaten to leave as leverage in an argument. "his may be used to coerce a dependent partner E(planations o! "arital Power E(planations o! "arital PowerResource T#eory o! Power attributes power to in decision!maing to whoever has the sole.larger fnancial resource. "his theory is focused narrowly on resources, overlooing other sources of gendered power. /ower may be overt 0successful resistance1, latent 0avoiding the issue due to fear1 or hidden 0social constructs or norms winning over personal sentiments1. Resource T#eory o! Power attributes power to in decision!maing to whoever has the sole.larger fnancial resource. "his theory is focused narrowly on resources, overlooing other sources of gendered power. /ower may be overt 0successful resistance1, latent 0avoiding the issue due to fear1 or hidden 0social constructs or norms winning over personal sentiments1. Ret#in*in' +amily & Power, +eminist ContributionsRet#in*in' +amily & Power, +eminist Contributions#s feminist scholars have pointed out, ma(or aspects of contemporary marriage point to important areas in which women are clearly subordinate to men& e'amples are the continued female responsibility for housewor and child rearing, inequities in se'ual gratifcation, the e'tent of violence against women and the se'ual e'ploitation of children. "oo much emphasis on marital relationship as the unit of analysis2 researchers should e'plore the infuence of society on power in marriage %ome researchers suggest shifting the focus from marital power to family power.#s feminist scholars have pointed out, ma(or aspects of contemporary marriage point to important areas in which women are clearly subordinate to men& e'amples are the continued female responsibility for housewor and child rearing, inequities in se'ual gratifcation, the e'tent of violence against women and the se'ual e'ploitation of children. "oo much emphasis on marital relationship as the unit of analysis2 researchers should e'plore the infuence of society on power in marriage %ome researchers suggest shifting the focus from marital power to family power.Intimacy & ConfictIntimacy & Confict 3onfict in itself is natural. 4etween couples, there are 5 inds of raw material with which to wor& "he things they have in common3omplementary di6erences7i6erences that are not complementary 3onfict in itself is natural. 4etween couples, there are 5 inds of raw material with which to wor& "he things they have in common3omplementary di6erences7i6erences that are not complementary E(periencin' Confict E(periencin' Confict"he important factor is not that they have di6erences or how often or what in particular they fght about but how constructively or harmfully they resolve their di6erences. /roblems may arise from suppressing feelings . opinions %elf!silencing has a negative e6ect on women,s health2 men are not a6ected "he important factor is not that they have di6erences or how often or what in particular they fght about but how constructively or harmfully they resolve their di6erences. /roblems may arise from suppressing feelings . opinions %elf!silencing has a negative e6ect on women,s health2 men are not a6ected Types o! Confict Types o! Confict4asic conficts revolve around carrying out marital roles and functions of marriage and the family, such as providing companionship, woring and rearing children. If one partner cannot convince the other to change his.her belief the confict is liely to destroy relationships. 8on!basic conficts do not strie at the heart of a relationship. 9esolution is possible. 4asic conficts revolve around carrying out marital roles and functions of marriage and the family, such as providing companionship, woring and rearing children. If one partner cannot convince the other to change his.her belief the confict is liely to destroy relationships. 8on!basic conficts do not strie at the heart of a relationship. 9esolution is possible. -ealin' Wit# Confict -ealin' Wit# Confict#reas to loo at when dealing with marital confict&:arital quality3ohabitation patterns:arital heterogamy . homogamy -mployment7ivision of responsibility 7ecision!maing equality 9eligious a;iation#reas to loo at when dealing with marital confict&:arital quality3ohabitation patterns:arital heterogamy . homogamy -mployment7ivision of responsibility 7ecision!maing equality 9eligious a;iation-ealin' Wit# Confict -ealin' Wit# Confict3omparing confict in marriage and cohabitation :ost research has revealed no signifcant di6erences between cohabiting and married couples in their frequency of confict over such relationship aspects as time spent together, in!laws, money, se', decisions about childbearing or division of responsibilities. 7ealing with anger di6erences can lead to anger and anger transforms di6erences into fghts, creating tension, division distrust and fear. %upressing anger is unhealthy.It can escalate into violence #nger is a symptom& something needs to be changed