Question

A researcher finds a correlation of .76 between a husband’s flexibility in his gender role and a wife’s degree of martial satisfaction.

Based on this correlation, we can explain or predict how much of the variability in marriage satisfaction scores by a husband’s score on flexibility in gender roles? What other factors may potentially account for the unexplained variance in marriage satisfaction?

Answer 1

Correlation of .76 between a husband's flexibility in his gender role and a wife's degree of marital satisfaction is a highly positive correlation, indicating that the more flexible the husband will be in his gender role more will be the degree of marital satisfaction among wives. When the husband is flexible in his gender role he is ready to do all sought of work, like household cleaning or cooking which are generally considered to be a female's work. With this flexible attitude he will happily help the wife in the household chores and thus the marital satisfaction will increase for the wives.

There can be many other factors that can account for the unexplained variance in marital satisfaction. Husband's flexibility in gender role is just one factor leading to marital satisfaction among the wives, Other potential factors might be good understanding of both the partners, communication in a discussion way rather than blaming and criticizing, unconditional love, acceptance and forgiveness towards each other, caring for each other, spending quality time with each other.