Who Can Afford to Keep Their Last Name? Gender, Economic Resources, and Marital Name Choice

• In Event: 3523 - Family Section Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 min): Table 5: Gender and Families

Abstract

Why do the vast majority of heterosexual couples continue to adhere to the traditional marital name norm, in which women change their names at marriage and men do not? This pattern reflects “the uneven gender revolution” – views of marital name choice and other matters of gender equality in heterosexual relationships are more resistant to change than views about gender equality in the workplace. I examine whether there are normative consequences for breaking name norms and whether the extent of those consequences vary under different conditions. Because gender and income are bases of power within interpersonal relationships, and outside of those relationships, I consider whether 1) the couple’s social class and 2) women’s income relative to men change the effect of marital name choice on women’s and men’s perceived adherence to gender norms, perceived devotion to one another, and their desirability as partners. I conduct two survey experiments, in which I randomize a heterosexual couple’s marital name choice, social class, and relative income. I find that, regardless of their absolute or relative income statuses, women who keep and hyphenate their names are viewed as more masculine, as less devoted to their relationships, and less desirable relationship partners. Unlike women, judgement of men is uneven based on economic resources. Working-class men, but not middle-class men, in couples in which both partners keep or hyphenate their names are viewed as less masculine, less devoted, and further from the ideal husband compared to men whose wives take their names. I conclude that women experience larger and more consistent commitment penalties when breaking marital name norms, compared to men.

Author

• Kristin Kelley, WZB Berlin Social Science Center