Abstract
The role of relative income has been greatly discussed in the studies of subjective well-being. However, it is rarely studied with couple’s relationship satisfaction. This study uses two waves of data from the China Family Panel Survey (N = 9,291 in the 2014 wave, and N = 6,844 in the 2018 wave) to examine the association between relative income status and couple’s marriage satisfaction. The multivariable logistic analyses were applied to test the hypotheses. Generally, we find that the relative income status compared with people out-household has an important role in explaining marital satisfaction for husband and wife. Such associations are both significant from family and individual perspectives, but heterogenous from a gender perspective.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability Statement
The raw data required to reproduce the findings of this study are available to download from http://www.isss.pku.edu.cn/cfps/download after registration. The processed data required to reproduce the findings of this study are available upon request.
Notes
The CFPS data can be obtained from Peking University Open Research Data webpage through registration. https://opendata.pku.edu.cn/.
References
Archuleta, K. L. (2013). Couples, money, and expectations: Negotiating Financial Management Roles to increase relationship satisfaction. Marriage & Family Review, 49, 391–411. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2013.766296.
Barnett, M. A. (2008). Economic disadvantage in complex family systems: Expansion of family stress models. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 11(3), 145–161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-008-0034-z.
Becker, G. (1965). A theory of the allocation of Time. The Economic Journal, 75(299), 493–517.
Bertrand, M., Kamenica, E., & Pan, J. (2015). Gender identity and relative income within households. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 130(2), 571–614. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjv001.
Britt, S. L., & Huston, S. J. (2012). The role of money arguments in marriage. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 33(4), 464–476. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-012-9304-5.
Britt-Lutter, S., Haselwood, C., & Koochel, E. (2019). Love and money: Reducing stress and improving couple happiness. Marriage and Family Review, 55(4), 330–345. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2018.1469568.
Chen, Y., & Hu, D. (2021). Gender norms and marriage satisfaction: Evidence from China. China Economic Review, 68(April), 101627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2021.101627.
Chung, K., Kamo, Y., & Yi, J. (2010). What makes Husband and Wife satisfied with their marriages: A comparative analysis of Korea and Japan *. Korea Journal of Population Studies, 33(17330119), 133–160.
Clark, A. E., Frijters, P., Shields, M. A., & Clark, E. (2008). Relative income, happiness, utility: An for the Explanation Easterlin and other Puzzles Paradox. American Economic Review, 46(1), 95–144.
Conger, R. D., Conger, K. J., Elder, G. H., Lorenz, F. O., Simons, R. L., Whitbeck, L. B., Development, C., Jun, N., Conger, R. D., Conger, K. J., Elder, G. H., Lorenz, F., Simons, R. L., & Whitbeck, L. B. (1992). A family process model of Economic Hardship and Adjustment of Early adolescent boys. Child Development, 63(3), 526–541.
Conger, R. D., Rueter, M. A., & Elder, G. H. Jr. (1999). Couple resilience to economic pressure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(1), 54–71. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.1.54.
Cooke, F. L. (2010). Women’s participation in employment in Asia: A comparative analysis of China, India, Japan and South Korea. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(12), 2249–2270. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2010.509627.
Dakin, J., & Wampler, R. (2008). Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it helps: Marital satisfaction, psychological distress, and demographic differences between low- and middle-income clinic couples. American Journal of Family Therapy, 36(4), 300–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926180701647512.
Dean, L. R., Carroll, J. S., & Yang, C. (2007). Materialism, perceived financial problems, and marital satisfaction. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 35(3), 260–281. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077727X06296625.
Dew, J. P. (2016). Revisiting Financial Issues and Marriage. In Handbook of Consumer Finance Research (pp. 281–290). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28887-1
Dew, J. P., & Xiao, J. J. (2011). The Financial Management Behavior Scale: Development and validation. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 22(1), 43–59.
Dew, J., Britt, S., & Huston, S. (2012). Examining the relationship between Financial Issues and Divorce. Family Relations, 61(4), 615–628. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2012.00715.x.
Ferrer-i-Carbonell, A. (2005). Income and well-being: An empirical analysis of the comparison income effect. Journal of Public Economics, 89(5–6), 997–1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2004.06.003.
Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872675400700202.
Furdyna, H. E., Tucker, M. B., & James, A. D. (2008). Relative spousal earnings and marital happiness among african american and White Women. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70(May), 332–344.
Gao, W., & Smyth, R. (2010). Job satisfaction and relative income in economic transition: Status or signal?. The case of urban China. China Economic Review, 21(3), 442–455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2010.04.002.
Gershoff, E. T., Aber, J. L., Raver, C. C., & Lennon, M. C. (2007). Income is not enough: Incorporating material hardship into models of income associations with parenting and child development. Child Development, 78(1), 70–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00986.x.
Gudmunson, C. G., Beutler, I. F., Israelsen, C. L., McCoy, J. K., & Hill, E. J. (2007). Linking financial strain to marital instability: Examining the roles of emotional distress and marital interaction. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 28(3), 357–376. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-007-9074-7.
Hajdu, G., & Hajdu, T. (2018). Intra-couple income distribution and subjective Well-Being: The moderating effect of gender norms. European Sociological Review, 34(2), 138–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcy006.
Halleröd, B. (2005). Sharing of housework and money among swedish couples: Do they behave rationally? European Sociological Review, 21(3), 273–288. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jci017.
Hardie, J. H., & Lucas, A. (2010). Economic factors and relationship quality among young couples: Comparing cohabitation and marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(5), 1141–1154. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00755.x.
Hardie, J. H., Geist, C., & Lucas, A. (2014). His and hers: Economic factors and relationship quality in Germany. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(4), 728–743. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12129.
Huang, J., Wu, S., & Deng, S. (2016). Relative income, relative assets, and happiness in Urban China. Social Indicators Research, 126(3), 971–985. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0936-3.
Jackson, G. L., Krull, J. L., Bradbury, T. N., & Karney, B. R. (2017). Household Income and Trajectories of Marital satisfaction in early marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family, 79(3), 690–704. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12394.
Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (1995). The longitudinal course of marital quality and stability: A review of theory, method, and research. Psychological Bulletin, 118(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.118.1.3.
Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (2020). Research on marital satisfaction and Stability in the 2010s: Challenging Conventional Wisdom. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(1), 100–116. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12635.
Kaufman, G., & Taniguchi, H. (2006). Gender and marital happiness in later life. Journal of Family Issues, 27(6), 735–757. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X05285293.
Kifle, T. (2013). Relative income and job satisfaction: Evidence from Australia. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 8(2), 125–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-012-9186-6.
Knight, J., Song, L., & Gunatilaka, R. (2009). Subjective well-being and its determinants in rural China. China Economic Review, 20(4), 635–649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2008.09.003.
Maisel, N. C., & Karney, B. R. (2012). Socioeconomic status moderates associations among stressful events, mental health, and relationship satisfaction. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(4), 654–660. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028901.
McBride, M. (2001). Relative-income effects on subjective well-being in the cross-section. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 45(3), 251–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-2681(01)00145-7.
Nock, S. L. (2001). The Marriages of equally dependent spouses. Journal of Family Issues, 22(6), 755–775.
Oshio, T., Nozaki, K., & Kobayashi, M. (2011). Relative income and happiness in Asia: Evidence from nationwide surveys in China, Japan, and Korea. Social Indicators Research, 104(3), 351–367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9754-9.
Qian, Y., & Qian, Z. (2015). Work, Family, and Gendered Happiness among Married People in Urban China. Social Indicators Research, 121(1), 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-014-0623-9.
Rodgers, S. J., & DeBoer, D. D. (2001). Changes in wives ’ income: Effects on Marital Changes and the happiness, psychological risk of divorce. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63(2), 458–472.
Ross, D. B., Gale, J., Wickrama, K., Goetz, J., Vowels, M. J., & Tang, Y. (2021). Couple perceptions as Mediators between Family Economic strain and Marital Quality: Evidence from Longitudinal Dyadic Data. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 32(1), 158–172. https://doi.org/10.1891/JFCP-18-00065.
Schramm, D. G., & Harris, V. W. (2011). Marital quality and income: An examination of the influence of Government Assistance. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 32(3), 437–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-010-9212-5.
Skogrand, L., Johnson, A. C., Horrocks, A. M., & DeFrain, J. (2011). Financial Management Practices of couples with great marriages. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 32(1), 27–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-010-9195-2.
Syrda, J. (2020). Spousal relative income and male psychological distress. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46(6), 976–992. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167219883611.
Tavakol, Z., Nikbakht Nasrabadi, A., Behboodi Moghadam, Z., Salehiniya, H., & Rezaei, E. (2017). A review of the factors Associated with marital satisfaction. Galen Medical Journal, 6(3), 197–207. https://doi.org/10.22086/gmj.v6i3.641.
Tisch, D. (2021). My gain or your loss? Changes in within-couple relative wealth and partners’ life satisfaction. European Sociological Review, 37(2), 271–286. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcaa052.
Trappe, H., Pollmann-schult, M., & Schmitt, C. (2015). The rise and decline of the male breadwinner model: Institutional underpinnings and future expectations. European Sociological Review, 31(2), 230–242. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcv015.
Van Praag, B. (2011). Well-being inequality and reference groups: An agenda for new research. Journal of Economic Inequality, 9(1), 111–127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10888-010-9127-2.
White, L., & Rogers, S. J. (2000). Economic Circumstances and Family Outcomes: A review of the 1990s. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(4), 1035–1051.
Wu, H. F. (2021). Relative income Status within Marriage and Subjective Well-Being in China: Evidence from Observational and Quasi-Experimental Data. Journal of Happiness Studies, 22(1), 447–466. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-020-00237-5.
Yunchao, C., Yusof, S. A., Amin, R. B. M., & Arshad, M. N. M. (2020). The Association between Household debt and marriage satisfaction in the Context of Urban Household in Klang Valley Malaysia. Journal of Emerging Economies and Islamic Research, 8(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.24191/jeeir.v8i1.7122.
Zhang, H., & Li, T. (2015). The role of willingness to sacrifice on the relationship between urban chinese wives ’ relative income and Marital Quality. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 41(3), 314–324. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2014.889057.
Zhang, H., Tsang, S. K. M., Chi, P., Cheung, Y. T., Zhang, X., & Yip, P. S. F. (2012). Wives’ relative income and marital satisfaction among the Urban Chinese Population: Exploring some moderating Effects. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 43(2), 185–199. https://doi.org/10.3138/jcfs.49.1.5.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflicts of Interest Statement
All authors of this study declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Cai, Y., Li, Q. The Role of Relative Income in Determining Marital Satisfaction for Husband and Wife in China. J Fam Econ Iss 45, 45–55 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-023-09904-0
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-023-09904-0