The present study was initiated under the hypotheses that value orientation of wives is closely related to their decision making style in home management and that family life satisfaction of wives varies according to their decision making style.
To t...
The present study was initiated under the hypotheses that value orientation of wives is closely related to their decision making style in home management and that family life satisfaction of wives varies according to their decision making style.
To test the hypotheses, the following procedures were undertaken: (1) developing measurement instruments for value orientation, decision making style, and family life satisfaction; (2) finding value orientation of wives, their decision making style, and their family life satisfaction by applying the measurement instruments; (3) finding the variables highly affecting value orientation, decision making style and family life satisfaction; and (4) finding the causal mechanism among value orientation, decision making style, and family life satisfaction.
In this study, pilot studies and measurements were developed on the basis of related theories and previous research, and finally, an experimental investigation was conducted to test their validity and reliability.
The sample of this study was selected from the wives living in Seoul metropolitan area. After class-analyzation of the sample, 567 out of 705 respondents were finally selected as datum sources. The data were analyzed by the statistical methods such as frequency, percentage, x^2 ?test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis.
The following conclusions have been reached on the basis of the statistical analysis:
1. For value orientation, higher ration of humanism preferences over materialism and that of collectivism preferences over materialism and that of collectivism preferences over individualism were revealed. For decision making style, person-oriented decision making style was preferred to that of task-oriented.
2. As for the causal variables, number of family members, ages of housewives, education, status of family life cycle, years of marriage life, and employment status of wives were bound to be the main variables affecting influence on value orientation, decision making style, and family life satisfaction. The analysis revealed that humanism preference is the highest when the family is in the later expanding period or when the educational level of the couple is high. In contrast, the level of materialism preference is the highest when wives do not work. High collectivism preference who have been married for 10-19 years, while high individualism preference were shown when their level of education is high and when their husband held professional jobs. As for decision making style, those who preferred person-oriented decision making style have the following characteristics: (1) number of family members is 3-6, (2) number of their children varies 2 to 3, (3) wives are in their 40’s, (4) husbands are professiona, sales, or service workers, (5) the growing background of wives are not in Seoul, (6) family life cycle was the later expanding period. The variables which affected family life satisfaction significantly were found to be age of wives, occupation of husbands, family income, family life cycle, types of houses, and employment status of wives.
3. In analyzing the differential pattern of decision making style according to value orientation, those in favor of humanism tend to prefer person-oriented decision making style, and so did the group in favor of individualism are more likely to make decisions in task-oriented style. In short, humanism and collectivism was supposed to prefer the person-oriented decision making style to the task-oriented style.
4. The analysis of the relationship between family life satisfaction and decision making style showed that those who prefer person-oriented decision making style have higher degree of life satisfaction.
5. From the regression analysis, it was found that monthly income, employment status of wives, and husbands’ level of education are crucial to the level of family life satisfaction. Also, the effects of both individualism and decision making style on family life satisfaction are very strong.
In conclusion, preferences of wives for humanism in value orientation were expected to lead decision making style to person-oriented rather than task-oriented style and, furthermore, to result in higher family life satisfaction.