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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North ZM b Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 4S10S 74-17,812 SUNDARAM, Pankajam R ., 1937- AN EXPLORATORY USE OF THE SIMULATION TECHNIQUE IN STUDYING PLANNING ABILITIES AND DECISION MAKING PATTERNS AMONG INDIAN COUPLES. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1974 Home Economics University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. AN EXPLORATORY USE OP THE SIMULATION TECHNIQUE IN STUDYING PLANNING ABILITIES AND DECISION MAKING PATTERNS AMONG INDIAN COUPLES Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy In the Graduate School of The Ohio State University by Pankajam R. Sundaram, B.Sc., M.Sc. The Ohio State University 1974 Reading Committee: Approved by: Dr. Ju lia I. Dalrymple Dr. Lola E. Dickey Dr. David G. Francis Adviser School of Home Economics DEDICATION In loving memory of Reverend Mother Rose Bcnedicta, Order of Saint Lyons, Saint Joseph's Convent, Fatima College. She, along with dedicating her life and services to the cause of girls' higher education in Madurai (India), has been the source of inspiration for my accomplishment. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The depth of gratitude given expression to in these pages of acknowledg­ ments and the pages following could be realized by anybody who has reached this phase of the research. It is with much gratitude that appreciation is extended to the many persons who contributed to the research. Sincere appreciation is expressed to Dr. Francllle Maloch Fircbaugh, the w riter's adviser, for her inspiring guidance, deep insight of the subject and keen interest in the study. Further, her indlspenslble assistance and great encouragement during the entire graduate program are gratefully acknowledged. Sincere thanks are also extended to the members of the dissertation committee: Dr, Julia I. Dalrymple, Dr. Lois E. Dickey, and Dr. David G. Francis. Special acknowledgment is extended to Dr. Robert J. Warmbrod for his untiring and invaluable assistance in the analyses of the data. Another large group of persons whose assistance is gratefully acknowledged includes the officers of the India Association, Columbus, and Barathi Cultural Society of Ohio, Cleveland, for their help in establishing contacts with Indian families; to the families who willingly consented to participate in the study and gave of their time and interest--to Mr. and Mrs. R, Balasubramaniam for the extensive driving and interviewing time given as research aides, In Cleveland. To Mrs. Geetha Balasubramaniam, the w riter's sister-in-law, sincere thanks are expressed not only for her assistance as research aide in Columbus, but also for being the sounding board, and offering most valuable help in the research, In ways too numerous to mention. Indebtedness is expressed to the University of Udaipur, Government of India, the United States Agency for International Development, for providing the opportunity for graduate study and financial assistance. To the Schroeder's—Jenny, Wayne, Ann, and Kay—sincere thanks ore expressed for providing the home away from home in Columbus in every sense of the word. Sincere thanks are extended to her typist, Ms. Barbara Turner, who very patiently and diligently did the typing of this thesis. Lastly, deep gratitude is expressed to the family who so willingly encour­ aged and supported the educational endeavors and higher studies abroad—to dear parents for sustained guidance and for providing Malathi the loving home and care, while her mother pursued her educational goals, being assured of her daughter's deep understanding and patient endurance. With highly cherished memories, they are acknowledged. iii VITA May 28, 1937 Born, M adras, India 1964 B.Sc., Fatima College, Mathurai, University of Madras, India 1966 M .Sc., Sri Avlnashilingam Home Science College, Coimbatore, University of Madras, India 1966-67 Graduate Teacher, Kcndriya, Vidyalaya, Avadi, Madras 1967 Lecturer, College of Home Science, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Home Management und Household Equipment Studies in Home Management and Household Equipment: Professors Ruth Deacon, Francllle Maloch Firebaugh, Fern Hunt, Anne Coveney, Clarice Bloom Studies in Rural Sociology, Anthropology and Agriculture Economics: Professors David G. Francis, Ojo Arcwa, Robert J. Warmbrod Studies in Home Economics Education: Professors Marie Dirks, Julia Dalrymple and Lena Bailey. Papers Pankajam R. and Godavari Kawalanathem. "Stimulating Published: Better Managerial Practices In a Rural Community through Organizing a Women's Fellowship. " Indian Journal of Home Science. 2:1 (1967). Pankajam Sundaram and David G. Francis. "Uses of Guttman Scaling to Study the Indian Family in Transition. " Indian Journal of Social Research. 14:1 (1973), 30-34. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii VITA iv LIST OF TABLES viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 Background and Need 1 Problem Statement 7 Objectives 7 Hypotheses 8 Assumptions 10 Definition of Terms 11 IL REVIEW OF LITERATURE 14 Home Management 14 Planning in Home Management 18 Decision Making in Home M anagement 22 Fam ily in India 25 Joint Family System 25 Caste System 30 The Manager in the Indian Home in the Past and Present 33 Changes in Life Styles 33 Impact of Industrializtion 36 Impact of Urbanization 38 Family Researches in India 40 Resoarch Emphasis Areas 40 Problems in Studying Indian Families 42 Family Measurement Techniques 45 Simulation and S1MFAM 47 Conceptual Framework 48 v CHAPTER Page I1L METHOD 52 Research Design 52 Sample Selection 52 Data Collection 54 Development of the Interview Schedule Form 54 Data Analysis 61 Tabulation and Statistical Analysis 64 Procedure 65 Pre-Test 65 The Interview 66 IV. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA 71 D escription of the Sample 71 Analysis of Data 80 Hypothesis I 94 Hypothesis II 95 Hypothesis III 95 Hypothesis IV 96 Hypothesis V 96 Hypothesis VI 96 Hypothesis VII 97 Hypothesis VIII 99 V. SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS 103 Implications for Home Management Specialists 106 in India Suggestions for Further Study 106 BIBLIOGRAPHY 108 APPENDIX A Hindi Version of Simulated Problem Situations 117 APPENDIX B Decision Making Statements Presented to Husbands 134 and Wives APPENDIX C Family Personal/Situational Data Questionnaire 129 vi Page APPENDIX D Responses Given for Planning Situations by Couples 136 APPENDIX E Home Management Graduate Students' Panel Eval- 152 uatlon of Planning Situations APPENDIX F Code Descriptors and Classification 156 APPENDIX G Response of Five Couples to "Commonness" of 161 Situations in the Pre-Test APPENDIX H Differences Between Female and Male Perception of 163 Egalitarian, Male-Dominated and Female-Dominated Patterns of Decision Making APPENDIX I Item Analysis Scores for the Husbands' and Wives' 167 Decision Making Scale APPENDIX J Relationship of Couples' Individual Planning Abilities 169 with Decision Making Patterns APPENDIX K Differences and Relationship Between the Couples' 172 Planning Abilities and Decision Making Patterns for Grouped Situations of 1, 3 and 6 vli LIST OF TABLES TABLE Page I. Descriptive Characteristics of Couple and Family 72 2 . Age Range of the Population 72 3. Educational Level of the Population 73 4. Years Married 74 5. Family Size by Number of Children 75 6 . Homemakers with Outside Employment 75 7. Employment Classification of Husbands 76 8 . Religion of the Population 77 9. Caste of the Population 77 1 0 . Joint Family Living Experience of the Population 78 1 1 . Geographic Orientation of the Population Since 78 Childhood 1 2 . Nativity of the Sample Population 79 13. Differences in Decision Making-Patterns between 81 the Husband the Wife in Each of the 76 Families 14. Comparison of the Couples' Perception of Decision 82 Making Power 15. Percentage Difference between Female and Male 83 Percpetion of Egalitarian, Male-Dominated and Female-Dominated Patterns of Decision Making 16. Response Pattern of the Couples in Individual and 87 Joint Response Sessions viil TABLE Page •17. Individual and Joint Planning Index Range of the 8 8 Couples for the Six Situations 18. Correlation Matrix of the Six Situations Responded 89 by Wives 19.