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He Says, She Says: Spousal Disagreement in Survey Measures of Bargaining Power

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  • Kate Ambler
  • Cheryl Doss
  • Caitlin Kieran
  • Simone Passarelli

Abstract

Measures of control over assets and participation in household decisions are often used as indicators of bargaining power. Yet spouses do not necessarily provide the same responses to questions about these topics. Using household survey data from Bangladesh, we examine differences in spouses’ answers to questions regarding women’s involvement as asset owners and decision makers and develop a model to understand what these differences tell us about household behavior. Disagreement is substantial and systematic; women are more likely than men to say that women own assets and are involved in decision-making. These patterns suggest the presence of asymmetric information in the household in the form of hidden assets or decisions. Finally, correlational analysis shows that when women claim their involvement but men do not include them, there is positive association with good outcomes for women but to a lesser extent than when husbands agree that their wives are involved.

Suggested Citation

  • Kate Ambler & Cheryl Doss & Caitlin Kieran & Simone Passarelli, 2021. "He Says, She Says: Spousal Disagreement in Survey Measures of Bargaining Power," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69(2), pages 765-788.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:ecdecc:doi:10.1086/703082
    DOI: 10.1086/703082
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    Cited by:

    1. Mehraban, Nadjia & Debela, Bethelhem Legesse & Kalsum, Ummi & Qaim, Matin, 2022. "What about her? Oil palm cultivation and intra-household gender roles," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    2. Li, Chao & Sun, Daoming, 2023. "Women’s bargaining power and spending on children’s education: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    3. Lecoutere, Els & Chu, Lan, 2021. "Changing intrahousehold decision making to empower women in their households: a mixed methods analysis of a field experiment in rural south-west Tanzania," IOB Discussion Papers 2021.06, Universiteit Antwerpen, Institute of Development Policy (IOB).
    4. Björkman Nyqvist, Martina & Jayachandran, Seema & Zipfel, Céline, 2023. "A Mother’s Voice: Impacts of Spousal Communication Training on Child Health Investments," CEPR Discussion Papers 17916, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Ambler, Kate & Doss, Cheryl & Kieran, Caitlin & Passarelli, Simone, 2022. "Spousal concordance in joint and separate households: Survey evidence from Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    6. Fiala, Nathan & Masselus, Lise, 2022. "Whom to ask? Testing respondent effects in household surveys," Ruhr Economic Papers 935, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    7. Genicot, Garance & Hernandez-de-Benito, Maria, 2022. "Women’s land rights and village institutions in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    8. Lecoutere, Els & Spielman, David J. & Van Campenhout, Bjorn, 2023. "Empowering women through targeting information or role models: Evidence from an experiment in agricultural extension in Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    9. Ding, Yawen & Wang, Xiaobing & Qiu, Huanguang, 2022. "Gift of relocation: Women’s decision making power consequences of China’s poverty alleviation relocation program," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322535, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    10. Frederik Booysen & Sevias Guvuriro, 2021. "Gender Differences in Intra-Household Financial Decision-Making: An Application of Coarsened Exact Matching," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-11, October.
    11. Ur Rehman, Obeid, 2023. "Spousal communication and information sharing: Evidence from migrants and their spouses," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    12. Mwale, Martin Limbikani, 2023. "Do agricultural subsidies matter for women’s attitude towards intimate partner violence? Evidence from Malawi," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    13. Bocci, Corinne & Mishra, Khushbu, 2021. "Forest power: The impact of community forest management on female empowerment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).

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