This study explores whether spouses' retirement influences their use of selected conflict tactics using panel data from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 559 couples). The data indicate that husbands but not wives perceive a decline in heated arguments on the wife's retirement. This change is partially due to a decline in disagreements. In addition, husbands' retirement appears to enhance engagement in calm discussions by the husband if either spouse is strongly attached to the marriage, whereas low attachment of either spouse is linked to a decline in calm discussions after the husband's retirement. Retirement-related changes in the use of avoidance tactics are contingent on spouses' dependence on the relationship.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aiken, L. S. , & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
2.
Allison, P. D. (1990). Change scores as dependent variables in regression analysis. Social Methodology, 20, 93-114.
3.
Alwin, D. F. , & Hauser, R. M. (1981). The decomposition of effects in path analysis. In P. V. Marsden (Ed.), Linear models in social research (pp. 123-140). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
4.
Atchley, R. C. (1992). Retirement and marital satisfaction. In M. Szinovacz, D. Ekerdt, & B. H. Vinick (Eds.), Families and retirement (pp. 145-158). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
5.
Bernard, J. (1972). The future of marriage. Cleveland, OH: World Publishing.
6.
Brubaker, T. H. , & Hennon, C. B. (1982). Responsibility for household tasks: Comparing dual-earner and dual-retired marriages. In M. Szinovacz (Ed.), Women's retirement: Policy implications of recent research (pp. 205-220). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
7.
Coleman, D. H. , & Straus M. A. (1990). Marital power, conflict, and violence in a nationally representative sample of American couples In M. A. Straus & R. J. Gelles (Eds.), Physical violence in American families (pp. 287-303). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books.
8.
Crawford, M. P. (1971). Retirement and disengagement. Human Relations, 24, 255-278.
9.
Crohan, S. E. (1996). Marital quality and conflict across the transition to parenthood in African American and White couples. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58, 933-944.
10.
Dorfman, L. T. (1992). Couples in retirement: Division of household work. In M. Szinovacz, D. J. Ekerdt, & B. H. Vinick (Eds.), Families and retirement (pp. 159-173). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
11.
Dorfman, L. T. , & Heckert, D. A. (1988). Egalitarianism in retired rural couples: Household tasks, decision-making, and leisure activities. Family Relations, 37, 73-78.
12.
Emerson, R. M. (1976). Social exchange theory. In A. Inkeles, J. Colemahn, & N. Smelser (Eds.), Annual review of sociology (pp. 335-362). Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews.
13.
Gilford, R. (1984). Contrasts in marital satisfaction throughout old age: An exchange theory analysis. Journal of Gerontology, 39, 325-333.
14.
Gottman, J. M. (1993). The roles of conflict engagement, escalation, and avoidance in marital interaction: A longitudinal view of five types of couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61, 6-15.
15.
Gottman, J. M. , Coan, J., Carrere, S., & Swanson, C. (1998). Predicting marital happiness and stability from newlywed interactions. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 5-22.
16.
Heavey, C. L. , Christensen, A., & Malamuth, N. M. (1995). The longitudinal impact of demand and withdrawal during marital conflict. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 797-801.
17.
Heavey, C. L. , Layne, C., & Christensen, A. (1993). Gender and conflict structure in marital interaction: A replication and extension. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61, 16-27.
18.
Hill, E. A. , & Dorfman, L. T. (1982). Reactions of housewives to the retirement of their husbands. Family Relations, 31, 195-200.
19.
Hochschild, A. (1989). The second shift: Working and the revolution at home. New York: Viking.
20.
Hughes, D. , Galinsky, E., & Morris, A. (1992). The effects of job characteristics on marital quality: Specifying linking mechanisms. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 31-42.
21.
Keating, N. C. , & Cole, P. (1980). What do I do with him 24 hours a day? Changes in the housewife role after retirement. The Gerontologist, 20, 84-89.
22.
Kessler, R. C. (1977). The use of change scores as criteria in longitudinal survey research. Quality and Quantity, 11, 43-66.
23.
Klinetob, N. A. , & Smith, D. A. (1996). Demand-withdraw communication in marital interaction: Tests of interspousal contingency and gender role hypotheses. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58, 945-957.
24.
Kluwer, E. S. , Heesink, J.A.M., & van de Vliert, E. (1996). Marital conflict about the division of household labor and paid work. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58, 958-969.
25.
Kluwer, E. S. , Heesink, J.A.M., & van de Vliert, E. (1997). The marital dynamics of conflict over the division of labor. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 59, 635-653.
26.
Lee, G. R. , & Shehan, C. L. (1989). Retirement and marital satisfaction. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 44, S226-S230.
27.
Lipman, A. (1961). Role conceptions and morale of couples in retirement. Journal of Gerontology, 16, 267-271.
28.
Little, R.J.A. , & Rubin, D. B. (1987). Statistical analysis with missing data. New York: John Wiley.
29.
Lupri, E. , Grandin, E., & Brinkerhoff, M. B. (1994). Socioeconomic status and male violence in the Canadian home: A reexamination. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 19, 47-73.
30.
Myers, S. M. , & Booth, A. (1996). Men's retirement and marital quality. Journal of Family Issues, 17, 336-358.
31.
Orbuch, T. L. , & Custer, L. (1995). The social context of married women's work and its impact on Black husbands and White husbands. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 333-345.
32.
Rosenfield, S. (1992). The cost of sharing: Wives' employment and husbands' mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 33, 213-225.
33.
Sørensen, A. , & McLanahan, S. (1987). Married women's economic dependency, 1940-1980. American Journal of Sociology, 93, 659-687.
34.
SPSS. (1997). SPSS missing value analysis 7.5. Chicago: SPSS, Inc.
35.
Stata. (1997). Stata users guide. College Station, TX: Stata Corporation.
36.
Straus, M. A. (1990). Social stress and marital violence in a national sample of American families. In M. A. Straus & R. J. Gelles (Eds.), Physical violence in American families (pp. 181-201). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books.
37.
Straus, M. A. , & Gelles, R. J. (1990). Physical violence in American families. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books.
38.
Sweet, J. , Bumpass, L., & Call, V. (1988). The design and content of the National Survey of Families and Households. Madison, WI: University of Madison Center for Demography and Ecology.
39.
Szinovacz, M. (1980). Female retirement: Effects on spousal roles and marital adjustment. Journal of Family Issues, 1, 423-440.
40.
Szinovacz, M. (1989). Retirement, couples, and household work. In S. J. Bahr & E. T. Peterson (Eds.), Aging and the family (pp. 33-58). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
41.
Szinovacz, M. (1996). Couple's employment/retirement patterns and marital quality. Research on Aging, 18, 243-268.
42.
Szinovacz, M. (in press). Changes in housework after retirement: A panel analysis. Journal of Marriage and the Family.
43.
Szinovacz, M. , & Ekerdt, D. J. (1995). Families and retirement. In R. Blieszner & V. H. Bedford (Eds.), Handbook on aging and the family (pp. 243-268). Westport, CT: Greenwood.
44.
Szinovacz, M. , & Harpster, P. (1993). Gender roles, employment status and marital dependence in later life. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 927-940.
45.
Szinovacz, M. , & Harpster, P. (1994). Couple's employment/retirement status and the division of household work. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 49, S125-S136.
46.
Vannoy, D. , & Philliber, W. W. (1992). Wife's employment and quality of marriage. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 387-398.
47.
Vinick, B. H. , & Ekerdt, D. J. (1991). The transition to retirement: Responses of husbands and wives. In B. B. Hess & E. W. Markson (Eds.), Growing old in America (4th ed., pp. 308-317). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books.
48.
Vinick, B. H. , & Ekerdt, D. J. (1992). Couples view retirement activities: Expectation versus experience. In M. Szinovacz, D. J. Ekerdt, & B. H. Vinick (Eds.), Families and retirement (pp. 129-144). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
49.
Wilkie, J. R. , Ferree, M. M., & Ratcliff, K. S. (1998). Gender and fairness: Marital satisfaction in two-earner couples. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 577-594.
