Political Difference in Marriage: Wife’s Gender Linked Fate and Relational Conflict

Abstract

ABSTRACT Increasing political polarization and growing animus toward political outgroup members may strain marriages in which spouses express political differences. For heterosexual married couples, interrelationships among gender, power, and political conflict may be of particular importance. The purpose of this study was to examine heterosexual spouses’ conflicts over political differences as a function of wives’ endorsement of gender-linked fate. Married, heterosexual women completed an online survey. Results demonstrate that in large part, the effect of wives’ gender-linked fate on reported conflict behaviors during political disagreements varies on the basis of husbands’ political party affiliation. Among women married to men who more strongly identify as Republican, greater endorsement of gender-linked fate associates with more pursuit of conflict, more competitive conflict tactics, and greater volatility and asymmetry in couple conflict patterns. When married to Democratic-leaning husbands, wives’ greater endorsement of gender-linked fate associates with more submissiveness during political conflicts.