Keywords

Family violence

Abstract

This study, drawing from theories of structural power and exchange, verified the hypotheses that the mechanisms, dynamics, and direction of violence in intimate relationships depends on the resources of each partner, the ratio of such resources, and their summative effects. Specifically, this study developed a framework that integrates the factors found related to domestic violence and defined as resources, and took into account their reward power, with reference to the status quo of the partners, to determine each partner's power within the relationship. The resources considered have included variables from four domains, individual, relational, social structural, and sociocultural. Existing gender-based and race-based theories have been challenged with the belief that a unidimensional representation of victims and perpetrators does not exist. Building on Molm's Theory of Coercive Power in Exchange, couple data from the National Survey of Family and Households, Wave 1, were used to test the hypothesis that the probability of a partner's initiation of coercive power depends on his/her power disadvantage in the relationship. The results showed a 75.3% accurate prediction of the presence of violence and an 84% accurate prediction of the direction of violence and supported the hypotheses of this study. The finding suggest the usefulness of utilizing couple data and multiple predictors from different domains.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2000

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Cook, Ida J.

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Degree Program

Applied Sociology

Format

PDF

Language

English

Rights

Written permission granted by copyright holder to the University of Central Florida Libraries to digitize and distribute for nonprofit, educational purposes.

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0018469

Subjects

Arts and Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic; Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Sciences

Contributor (Linked data)

Ida J. Cook (Q57978070)

Accessibility Status

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Sociology Commons

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