Stefanie J' Sonnenberg

1
Managing Money and Identity
Household Financial Organisation and Discursive
Practice
Stefanie J. Sonnenberg University of Exeter
2
Managing Money and Identity
Household Financial Organisation and Discursive
Practice
Stefanie J. Sonnenberg University of Exeter
3
Money in the Household

• Research into the intra-household economy has
  challenged the notion that

• the household is an unproblematic economic unit
  (e.g., Burgoyne, 1990 Pahl, 1980 1983
  1989 Vogler, 1994 Vogler Pahl, 1994)
• financial management in the household is
  sociologically neutral (e.g., in terms of
  gender or power relations)
• household financial management is
  psychologically neutral

4
Money and Marriage (i)

• Findings suggest that

• financial management is not the same as
  financial control (e.g., Pahl, 1989 Vogler,
  1994 Vogler Pahl, 1994)
• husbands often possess greater financial
  control and economic power than wives
  (e.g., Burgoyne, 1990 Pahl, 1989 Vogler Pahl,
  1994)
• wives tend to feel more restricted in using
  money for personal spending (e.g., Burgoyne,
  1990 Pahl, 1995)

Intimate link between monetary practices and
gender
5
Money and Marriage (ii)

• Gender asymmetries seem paradoxical for various
  reasons

• Socio-structural
• Womens labour market participation, and thus
  their contribution to household income, has been
  steadily increasing (e.g., Laurie Gershuny,
  2000)
• Psychological
• Marriage is frequently described as a
  partnership of equals (e.g., Burgoyne, 1994
  Burgoyne Routh, 2001)

Contradiction between beliefs in financial
equality and actual practices
6
Beliefs versus Practice (i)
Explaining the paradox

• Explanations of this paradox have drawn on

• Resource Theory of Power (e.g., Blood Wolfe,
  1960)
• Sociology of Gender (e.g., Vogler, 1998)
• Psychology of Entitlement (e.g., Major, 1987)
• Psychology of Distributive Justice (e.g.,
  Deutsch, 1985)

7
Beliefs versus Practice (ii)
Explaining the paradox

• For example,

• inconsistencies arise because power over
  decision-making is seen to lie with the partner
  who makes the greater financial contribution

• discrepancy between normative beliefs and
  financial practices is a result of endorsing
  notions of entitlement or ownership

8
Beliefs versus Practice (ii)
Explaining the paradox
But, the question remains
What are the social psychological mechanisms by
which notions of power, ownership or entitlement
come to override the ideal of equality or equal
sharing?
9
The Analytic Focus

• Research increasingly emphasises

• Subjective determinants
• Attitudes, perceptions, cognitions feelings
• E.g., gender role beliefs, views on
  breadwinnership, fairness perceptions
  
  (e.g., Burgoyne Lewis, 1994 Vogler Pahl,
  1993 Vogler, 1994)

• Yet, there is also an acknowledgement of

• Complexity of the intra-household economy
  (e.g., gender power relations)
• Rhetoric, discourse ideology
• E.g., discourses / ideology of gender,
  ideology of breadwinning discourse / rhetoric
  of equality rhetoric of entitlement
  (e.g., Burgoyne, 1990 Nyman, 1999
  2003 Roman Vogler, 1999 Vogler, 1998 2005)

10
The Analytic Focus

• Research increasingly emphasises

• Subjective determinants
• Attitudes, perceptions, cognitions feelings
• E.g., gender role beliefs, views on
  breadwinnership, fairness perceptions
  
  (e.g., Burgoyne Lewis, 1994 Vogler Pahl,
  1993 Vogler, 1994)

• Yet, there is also an acknowledgement of

• Complexity of the intra-household economy
  (e.g., gender power relations)
• Rhetoric, discourse ideology
• E.g., discourses / ideology of gender,
  ideology of breadwinning discourse / rhetoric
  of equality rhetoric of entitlement
  (e.g., Burgoyne, 1990 Nyman, 1999
  Roman Vogler, 1999 Vogler, 1998 2005)

11
The Analytic Paradox (i)
Individual Perceiver
Unit of Analysis
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The Analytic Paradox (ii)
Cognition Versus Discursive Practice

• The significance of practice

The practices that people perform should become
the starting point for social psychological
investigation. This is because emotional
expressions, statement of belief and intent,
attitudes, identities and presentations of self,
are themselves organised by discursive
practices. (Dixon Wetherell, 2004, p. 174)

• Variability and inconsistency

Indeed, these are as much a product of a
particular mode of practice as they are a
pre-existing or independent determinant of that
practice. Consequently, social psychological
phenomena often vary markedly as people engage in
multiple practices that differ in stability,
meaning and history. A sense emerges of dispersed
and potentially inconsistent subjects, beings
whose subjectivity and domestic relationships are
constantly being constructed and re-constructed
in different ways. (Dixon Wetherell, 2004, p.
174)
13
The Analytic Paradox (ii)
Cognition Versus Discursive Practice

• The significance of practice

The practices that people perform should become
the starting point for social psychological
investigation. This is because emotional
expressions, statement of belief and intent,
attitudes, identities and presentations of self,
are themselves organised by discursive
practices. (Dixon Wetherell, 2004, p. 174)

• Variability and inconsistency

Indeed, these cognitions are as much a product
of a particular mode of practice as they are a
pre-existing or independent determinant of that
practice. Consequently, social psychological
phenomena often vary markedly as people engage in
multiple practices that differ in stability,
meaning and history. A sense emerges of dispersed
and potentially inconsistent subjects, beings
whose subjectivity and domestic relationships are
constantly being constructed and re-constructed
in different ways. (Dixon Wetherell, 2004, p.
174)
14
Current Methodology (i)
Some Critical Issues

• Findings have been derived from both quantitative
  and qualitative approaches

• Large-scale surveys / questionnaires
• Emphasis on statistical comparison

• In-depth interview studies
• Emphasis on Grounded Theory analyses

15
Current Methodology (ii)
Some Critical Issues

• There are a number of issues that relate to the
  use of current methods

• Statistical analyses entail
• Simplification
• Decontextualisation
• Financial practices as money management systems

• Grounded Theory analyses entail
• Designative view of language
• Treatment of language as representative of
  underlying mental processes

16
Current Methodology (ii)
Some Critical Issues

• There are a number of issues that relate to the
  use of current methods

• Statistical analyses entail
• Simplification
• Decontextualisation
• Financial practices as money management systems

• Grounded Theory analyses entail
• Designative view of language
• Treatment of language as representative of
  underlying mental processes

17
Current Methodology (ii)
Some Critical Issues

• There are a number of issues that relate to the
  use of current methods

• Statistical analyses entail
• Simplification
• Decontextualisation
• Financial practices as money management systems

• Grounded Theory analyses entail
• Designative view of language
• Treatment of language as representative of
  underlying mental processes

18
The Discursive Approach
The Nature of Language

• A discursive approach endorses a critical
  perspective on language

• Challenges the view of language as .
• A set of unambiguous signs (i.e., as
  designative)
• A representation of reality

• Advances the notion of language as performative

19
The Discursive Approach
Analysing Talk or Text

• Focus on action orientation of language (e.g.,
  Discursive Psychology)
• Importance of interaction
• Managing issues of stake and interest
• Managing interactional projects
• Explaining, justifying, warranting, managing own
  accountability
• Focus on availability of discursive resources
  within a culture (e.g., Foucauldian DA)
• Discourses as ways-of-seeing and ways-of-being

20
The Discursive Approach
Analytic Shift

• A discursive approach both requires and enables
  the analytic shift

Individual Perceiver
Cognition
21
Interpreting Quantitative Data (i)

• Example Survey Responses

If you are married or if you are living with a
partner, please tick one box to indicate which of
the following options comes closest to how you
and your partner currently organise your
finances.
12.3
22
Interpreting Quantitative Data (ii)

• Example Survey Responses

23
Interpreting Qualitative Data (i)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

EVELYN We actually just put all the money in
one pot and share and discuss everything. But I
actually deal with all the financial side, the
tax forms and things but erm (.) We deal-
were completely open with each other. Were
very open in what we decide to do
together. INTERVIEWER Right. So does all that
money, all the money gets pooled then in, in //
EVELYN Yes. Weve got different accounts but
we, we both know where everything is and we can
make a decision to do something together. Err it
doesnt matter who it comes from.
24
Interpreting Qualitative Data (i)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

EVELYN We actually just put all the money in
one pot and share and discuss everything. But I
actually deal with all the financial side, the
tax forms and things but erm (.) We deal-
were completely open with each other. Were
very open in what we decide to do
together. INTERVIEWER Right. So does all that
money, all the money gets pooled then in, in //
EVELYN Yes. Weve got different accounts but
we, we both know where everything is and we can
make a decision to do something together. Err it
doesnt matter who it comes from.
25
Interpreting Qualitative Data (i)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

EVELYN We actually just put all the money in
one pot and share and discuss everything. But I
actually deal with all the financial side, the
tax forms and things but erm (.) We deal-
were completely open with each other. Were
very open in what we decide to do
together. INTERVIEWER Right. So does all that
money, all the money gets pooled then in, in //
EVELYN Yes. Weve got different accounts but
we, we both know where everything is and we can
make a decision to do something together. Err it
doesnt matter who it comes from.
26
Interpreting Qualitative Data (i)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

EVELYN We actually just put all the money in
one pot and share and discuss everything. But I
actually deal with all the financial side, the
tax forms and things but erm (.) We deal-
were completely open with each other. Were
very open in what we decide to do
together. INTERVIEWER Right. So does all that
money, all the money gets pooled then in, in //
EVELYN Yes. Weve got different accounts but
we, we both know where everything is and we can
make a decision to do something together. Err it
doesnt matter who it comes from.
27
Interpreting Qualitative Data (ii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

KATHERINE Hmm, I mean (.) I know lots of people
who are married who have separate bank accounts.
And who still (.) very much keep to this notion
that this is my money, this is your money,
youre not going to tell me what to do with it.
You- you know, even though they are (.) married.
That doesnt seem to have, you know, changed
things. INTERVIEWER Mm-mh. CHRISTINE Not much
point in being married then really, is
there!? KATHERINE Well. Yeah. I mean, I mean I,
I tend to, you know, agree with that. Because
they, the people Im thinking of particularly (.)
seem to be very like (.) - to me, its almost
like theyre saying Im married to you but in
this part of my life Im not going to be
accountable to you mm-hm from various other
respondents which seems to, seems to go against
getting married. You know, why did they bother?!
If they, if they were gonna keep that bit
separate
28
Interpreting Qualitative Data (ii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

KATHERINE Hmm, I mean (.) I know lots of people
who are married who have separate bank accounts.
And who still (.) very much keep to this notion
that this is my money, this is your money,
youre not going to tell me what to do with it.
You- you know, even though they are (.) married.
That doesnt seem to have, you know, changed
things. INTERVIEWER Mm-mh. CHRISTINE Not much
point in being married then really, is
there!? KATHERINE Well. Yeah. I mean, I mean I,
I tend to, you know, agree with that. Because
they, the people Im thinking of particularly (.)
seem to be very like (.) - to me, its almost
like theyre saying Im married to you but in
this part of my life Im not going to be
accountable to you mm-hm from various other
respondents which seems to, seems to go against
getting married. You know, why did they bother?!
If they, if they were gonna keep that bit
separate
29
Interpreting Qualitative Data (ii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

KATHERINE Hmm, I mean (.) I know lots of people
who are married who have separate bank accounts.
And who still (.) very much keep to this notion
that this is my money, this is your money,
youre not going to tell me what to do with it.
You- you know, even though they are (.) married.
That doesnt seem to have, you know, changed
things. INTERVIEWER Mm-mh. CHRISTINE Not much
point in being married then really, is
there!? KATHERINE Well. Yeah. I mean, I mean I,
I tend to, you know, agree with that. Because
they, the people Im thinking of particularly (.)
seem to be very like (.) - to me, its almost
like theyre saying Im married to you but in
this part of my life Im not going to be
accountable to you mm-hm from various other
respondents which seems to, seems to go against
getting married. You know, why did they bother?!
If they, if they were gonna keep that bit
separate
30
Interpreting Qualitative Data (ii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Money

KATHERINE Hmm, I mean (.) I know lots of people
who are married who have separate bank accounts.
And who still (.) very much keep to this notion
that this is my money, this is your money,
youre not going to tell me what to do with it.
You- you know, even though they are (.) married.
That doesnt seem to have, you know, changed
things. INTERVIEWER Mm-mh. CHRISTINE Not much
point in being married then really, is
there!? KATHERINE Well. Yeah. I mean, I mean I,
I tend to, you know, agree with that. Because
they, the people Im thinking of particularly (.)
seem to be very like (.) - to me, its almost
like theyre saying Im married to you but in
this part of my life Im not going to be
accountable to you mm-hm from various other
respondents which seems to, seems to go against
getting married. You know, why did they bother?!
If they, if they were gonna keep that bit
separate
31
Interpreting Qualitative Data (iii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Identity

INTERVIEWER I think, you know, in lots of
peoples minds marriage means sharing or pooling
money or doing something like that, you know, in
terms of doing it together. But erm maybe thats
not how people are generally thinking about it
these days (.) in reality, I dont know. I mean
it sounds like thats the case for you referring
to Katherine? KATHERINE Yeah, but I think in my
(.) circle, Im unique. INTERVIEWER Oh are you?
Right. KATHERINE Yeah. Certainly. I mean because
were both Christians (.) erm and so erm, you
know, take the relationship part with God quite
seriously. And most of our Christian friends work
a similar relationship. And most of our
non-Christian friends have separate bank
accounts. EVELYN Im a Christian as well,
actually. Yes so
32
Interpreting Qualitative Data (iii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Identity

INTERVIEWER I think, you know, in lots of
peoples minds marriage means sharing or pooling
money or doing something like that, you know, in
terms of doing it together. But erm maybe thats
not how people are generally thinking about it
these days (.) in reality, I dont know. I mean
it sounds like thats the case for you referring
to Katherine? KATHERINE Yeah, but I think in my
(.) circle, Im unique. INTERVIEWER Oh are you?
Right. KATHERINE Yeah. Certainly. I mean because
were both Christians (.) erm and so erm, you
know, take the relationship part with God quite
seriously. And most of our Christian friends work
a similar relationship. And most of our
non-Christian friends have separate bank
accounts. EVELYN Im a Christian as well,
actually. Yes so
33
Interpreting Qualitative Data (iii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Identity

INTERVIEWER I think, you know, in lots of
peoples minds marriage means sharing or pooling
money or doing something like that, you know, in
terms of doing it together. But erm maybe thats
not how people are generally thinking about it
these days (.) in reality, I dont know. I mean
it sounds like thats the case for you referring
to Katherine? KATHERINE Yeah, but I think in my
(.) circle, Im unique. INTERVIEWER Oh are you?
Right. KATHERINE Yeah. Certainly. I mean because
were both Christians (.) erm and so erm, you
know, take the relationship part with God quite
seriously. And most of our Christian friends work
a similar relationship. And most of our
non-Christian friends have separate bank
accounts. EVELYN Im a Christian as well,
actually. Yes so
34
Interpreting Qualitative Data (iii)
Analytic Issues

• Managing Identity

INTERVIEWER I think, you know, in lots of
peoples minds marriage means sharing or pooling
money or doing something like that, you know, in
terms of doing it together. But erm maybe thats
not how people are generally thinking about it
these days (.) in reality, I dont know. I mean
it sounds like thats the case for you referring
to Katherine? KATHERINE Yeah, but I think in my
(.) circle, Im unique. INTERVIEWER Oh are you?
Right. KATHERINE Yeah. Certainly. I mean because
were both Christians (.) erm and so erm, you
know, take the relationship part with God quite
seriously. And most of our Christian friends work
a similar relationship. And most of our
non-Christian friends have separate bank
accounts. EVELYN Im a Christian as well,
actually. Yes so
35
Summary (i)

• In theoretical terms, adoption of a discursive
  approach would

• Enable us to deal with account variability
• Informs the potential lack of overlap between our
  analytic categories and peoples actual responses
• Shed light on seemingly paradoxical findings
• E.g., vocabulary of equality can be drawn upon
  in order to maintain inequality
• (Dixon Wetherell, 2004 Wetherell, Stiven
  Potter, 1987)
• Sensitise us to the identity processes involved
  in (describing) household money management

36
Summary (ii)

• In practical terms, adoption of a discursive
  approach would

• Contribute to method triangulation
• Complementing current survey and Grounded Theory
  approaches
• Encourage data triangulation
• Collecting new types of data (e.g., naturally
  occurring money talk in the domestic setting)
• Bring into focus interactional dynamics
• Root inequality firmly in the politics of the
  domestic interaction (Dixon Wetherell, 2004,
  p. 186)

37
Implications
Where do we go from here?

• Theory Development

• Sociology of Gender (e.g., Vogler, 1998)
• Power Ideology
• .

• Research Practice

• Reflexivity
• .

38
Thank You.
39
Beyond The Paradox
Language
Unit of Analysis