No. 1 Way to Make Your Wife Happy

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Listen up, men. If you want to make your wife happy, you need to be engaged emotionally in your life together as a couple.

That's the word from two sociologists, W. Bradford Wilcox and Steven L. Nock, at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, who claim this is the single most important factor in a woman's marital happiness.

But here's the real shocker: The study also finds that the women who report the highest level of happiness with their marriages are those who have husbands who earn the lion's share of the family income so the women don't have to work outside the home.

Drawing on the National Survey of Families and Households, which sampled more than 5,000 couples around the United States, the Virginia study found that even among women who support egalitarian ideas--that is, those who think that men and women should both earn income and share housework equally--there is greater marital happiness when the husband earns 68 percent or more of the family income.

"Regardless of what married women say they believe about gender, they tend to have happier marriages when their husband is a good provider--provided that he is also emotionally engaged," Wilcox said. "I was very surprised to find that even egalitarian-minded women are happier when their marriages are organized along more gendered lines."

Here are the fascinating, albeit somewhat controversial, conclusions:

• The most important determinant of a woman's marital happiness is the emotional engagement of her husband. A wife cares most about how affectionate and understanding her husband is and how much quality time they spend together as a couple.
  
• Women who do not work outside the home report happier marriages and spend more quality time with their husbands.
  
• Women who have more traditional attitudes report more affection and understanding from their husbands. Such attitudes include the idea that women should take the lead in care of the home and family, while men take the lead in earning money.
  
• Commitment matters. Women who share with their husbands a strong commitment to a lifelong marriage are more likely to report that they are happy in their marriages and happy with the affection and understanding they receive from their husbands, compared with women who do not have such a commitment to marriage. Shared commitment seems to generate mutual trust and higher levels of emotional investment on the part of husbands, both of which are factors that promote marital happiness among women.
  
• Fairness also matters in shaping the quality and character of women's marriages. Married women are happier in their marriages when they think housework is divided fairly, and they perceive their marriage to be equitable. They also spend more quality time with their husbands when they think housework is divided fairly. What's fair? It's up to each couple, and it's not necessarily a 50-50 split.

"Conventional and academic wisdom now suggests that the 'best' marriages are unions of equals," Nock said. "Our work suggests that the reality is more complicated. Wives are surely sensitive to imbalances in routine tasks and efforts, as almost all research shows. However, we find that they are more concerned with their husband's investments in the emotional content of the marriage. We interpret our results to suggest that partners need to pay more attention to how their partners feel about their relationship and about marriage generally because equality does not necessarily produce equity."
The study findings were published in the journal Social Forces.

[M.Panther]

Wow,great post. *rushes out to look for a wife*

[General]

Listen up, men. If you want to make your wife happy, you need to be engaged emotionally in your life together as a couple.

That's the word from two sociologists, W. Bradford Wilcox and Steven L. Nock, at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, who claim this is the single most important factor in a woman's marital happiness.

But here's the real shocker: The study also finds that the women who report the highest level of happiness with their marriages are those who have husbands who earn the lion's share of the family income so the women don't have to work outside the home.

Drawing on the National Survey of Families and Households, which sampled more than 5,000 couples around the United States, the Virginia study found that even among women who support egalitarian ideas--that is, those who think that men and women should both earn income and share housework equally--there is greater marital happiness when the husband earns 68 percent or more of the family income.

"Regardless of what married women say they believe about gender, they tend to have happier marriages when their husband is a good provider--provided that he is also emotionally engaged," Wilcox said. "I was very surprised to find that even egalitarian-minded women are happier when their marriages are organized along more gendered lines."

Here are the fascinating, albeit somewhat controversial, conclusions:

• The most important determinant of a woman's marital happiness is the emotional engagement of her husband. A wife cares most about how affectionate and understanding her husband is and how much quality time they spend together as a couple.
  
• Women who do not work outside the home report happier marriages and spend more quality time with their husbands.
  
• Women who have more traditional attitudes report more affection and understanding from their husbands. Such attitudes include the idea that women should take the lead in care of the home and family, while men take the lead in earning money.
  
• Commitment matters. Women who share with their husbands a strong commitment to a lifelong marriage are more likely to report that they are happy in their marriages and happy with the affection and understanding they receive from their husbands, compared with women who do not have such a commitment to marriage. Shared commitment seems to generate mutual trust and higher levels of emotional investment on the part of husbands, both of which are factors that promote marital happiness among women.
  
• Fairness also matters in shaping the quality and character of women's marriages. Married women are happier in their marriages when they think housework is divided fairly, and they perceive their marriage to be equitable. They also spend more quality time with their husbands when they think housework is divided fairly. What's fair? It's up to each couple, and it's not necessarily a 50-50 split.

"Conventional and academic wisdom now suggests that the 'best' marriages are unions of equals," Nock said. "Our work suggests that the reality is more complicated. Wives are surely sensitive to imbalances in routine tasks and efforts, as almost all research shows. However, we find that they are more concerned with their husband's investments in the emotional content of the marriage. We interpret our results to suggest that partners need to pay more attention to how their partners feel about their relationship and about marriage generally because equality does not necessarily produce equity."
The study findings were published in the journal Social Forces.

I appreciate this analysis. I can see how much of this research validates my analysis. In the area that suggested successful traits of a mate I suggested that women prefer men who are Economically Viable. I understood this from my studies of Urban Black Males in Cities and the Prison system. We found that more stable relationships were from brothers that were more Economically stable. Much of my research from Drs. Julia Hare, Dr. Rosie Mulligan, Dr. Jawanzaa Kunjufu in several of these books speaks about this. The question or solution is what avenues for brothers that have been Economically Emasculated by this White Supremacy System. I recognized this from my Business experience. Can we think of the realities from how these studies effect Black people. I made some suggestions for black males that are/were serious in terms of self development. As far as a sista earning more, well there is a balance of course though sista's want protection. Capital can buy temporary sanity from the winds of Oppression. The Rites of Passage programs that I've seen have been dysfunctional in this area. What are to happen to those that can not spend 8-10K a year for Private College? What about those that don't want to go in debt? What about those that would like to have a sista that has some intelligence, but they maybe put out of the Mans role. One sista said to me yesterday that since I am a man I expect a man to have money. Well, My position is this, Brothers should if times are hard there may be a few good banks around. Actually though as a Professional Revolutionary Identity Theft is an option. Most blacks turn to so called crimes that they are allowed to do in this system, petty drug crimes. Banks and Identity theft are the Poor mans way to riches. Well let me say this, I personally am doing quite well for myself. I perfected a few niches and can do very well next year, though I had to think and study differently and have to work smarter. I could inform everyone of a Non-intrusive way to be a real man if for example sista's are holding males up to this standard This is just like Hunting, In a society like this we have to be prepared. How long does one do in jail for drugs comparative to identity theft? If someone get caught how much time they would do? What do one do with the money once they get it?

[BlackQueen]

As a sister, let me tell you brothers out there,that your wife is much more than a woman. Your wife is your Queen,your companion,your soulmate,and deserves to be treated with endless love and respect.

[General]

As a sister, let me tell you brothers out there,that your wife is much more than a woman. Your wife is your Queen,your companion,your soulmate,and deserve to be treated with endless love and respect.

I feel U, Give thanks for this. When one has knowledge of self they can and will treat our Queens appropiately.

[Nefertiti]

BlackQueen yeah sistar well said....That too!..... Me myself is leaning more on the emotional crutch than the cash(salary wages and percentages and this that and the third), Because whether if Im making more or him as long as its coming into the house(This is how I feel,And We have an understanding!!!) I need to feel loved and told that Im loved and I'll do the same.....Peace