He, she and the money - stereotypes about meanness and extravagance

Spending money is something natural. Everybody knows, that if we want to eat, wear something, live somewhere or go for one place to another, someone have to pay for it. But some people have quite specific attitude to the money. They are mean or - on the contrary - extravagant. There are many stereotypes about these people. Some of them are connected with gender - but are they really only stereotypes?

MEN ARE PENNY-PINCHERS

The stereotypical stingy man is someone, who's the only bread-winner in the household, so he's deciding of his family budget. He wants to save as much money as possible, so he precisely evaluate amount of money, which he can give to his wife and children - of course for things, which are absolutely necessary or even less.

This description, although exaggerated, isn't false at all. According to the results of Karen Redwine's and Paul Zak's researches, the fact, how mean someone is depends on level of testosteron - masculine hormon. Researchers carried on the experiment on a group of 25 students. Then all of them were playing simple economical game - one of students have decided, how to share 10 dollars between him and another one, another one could accept or refuse his or her offer. They were playing both roles, once under the influence of a gel, which contained testosteron, another time without it. Results have shown, that under the influence of testosteron people were less willing to share money with others, even if they can obtain more, than they've given.

But the meanness can also beacme a pathological situation. In the discussion about it at one of internet forums we can read about such causes. One of users writes about a man, who almost didn't use a central heating, although it was winter, bought the cheapest products, and controlled his wife, when she was washing dishes (maybe she's using too much water, who knows it?), although his salary was really good.

WOMEN ARE SPENDTHRIFT



It's another side of the previous situation. A woman doesn't work and spend her husband's money on stupid things. She's so irresponsible!


This statement is also over the top. But it isn't unjustified at all. Researchers say, that money are important for women - they want to live with someone well off. The results of studies, carried on by University of Michigan assert, that women prefers extravagant partners, because they give women a signal of the fact, tat they'll be able to provide for their would-be family. The spendthrift men are also more experienced in living with women - they used to have more partners than more economical ones. They were also hoping to have many sexual partners in the future. According to the researchers, it's very old way of thinking - earlier women found attractive men, who were e. g. good hunters (so they could achieve the food).

Women as a shopaholics

Shopaholism(onomania) is the term, which means "the compulsive desire to shop. The addicted person gets into a vicious circle that consists of negative emotions like anger and stress, which lead to purchasing something. After the buying is over, the person is either regretful or depressed. In order to cope with the feelings, the addicted person resorts to another purchase.What differentiates oniomania from healthy shopping is this compulsive, destructive and chronic nature of the buying." (www.wikipedia.org)

It is thought, that women like shopping very much, while men usually can't stand it. Becky, the main character of a popular comedy "Confessions of a shopaholic" seemed to love it really... until the time, when she realized, how big debts she had ;-)


Confessions of a shopaholic - trailer: (I don't know, what language these subtitles are ;-))

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST...

Of course, we should take all of these statements with a pinch of salt - true or false, everything here is a big generalization. I hope that I didn't offend to anyone ;-)

This man, as we can see, doesn't worry about his money... and about stereotypes!

What's your attitude to spending money? Are you stingy or - by contrast - rather extravagant person? Do you accept it?