As a couple, they preferred to wait for money more than when deciding alone
Among 134 married couples in Vietnam, deciding together was associated with less preference for immediate rewards, but no relationship appeared for actual savings.
The key idea
In the task, couples chose immediate money less often when deciding together, but no relationship appeared with households’ actual savings.
The study, in plain language
Married couples with children from a commune in Vietnam took part in a task that involved choosing between rewards at different times. The team compared each person’s decisions alone with the couple’s joint decisions and asked about income and management of household money.
When deciding with a partner, participants showed less preference for immediate rewards. In the survey, those with a stronger immediate preference gave a smaller share of income to their spouse, were more likely to manage resources, and received a larger share of their partner’s income. By contrast, no relationship appeared for actual saving and accumulation.
What they found
- In the task, joint decisions showed less preference for immediate rewards.
- In the survey, that preference was associated with how money was given, managed, and received in the household.
- Measures of actual saving and accumulation showed no relationship.
Something to think about
Think about money decisions in your household: which do you make alone and which with someone else? Would you choose the same way in both cases?
How they studied it
Married couples with children from an urban commune in Vietnam completed an economic task and a survey. Researchers compared choices between rewards at different times when people decided alone or together, as well as reports about household money management.
What the study cannot show
- The study involved couples from one commune and a modest sample; the survey does not establish causation.
- The results do not describe all couples or indicate who should control the money.
The original study
Does marriage work as a savings commitment device? Experimental evidence from Vietnam
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.
