This article investigates the impact of earned income on women's empowerment within Jordan's patriarchal context.
Experiment 1: Relative Income and Bargaining Influence
We found that when women earn more than their partners, they demonstrate greater influence in bargaining situations. However, this increased influence is limited to partnerships with other women; no such effect occurs when partnered with men.
Experiment 2: Job Preferences and Gender Dynamics
Our conjoint survey experiment revealed an intriguing finding regarding employment preferences. Higher wages increase job desirability for women, yet mixed-gender workspaces act as a significant deterrent despite the income advantage. Jobs offering same-sex colleagues are preferred even at lower pay.
These results highlight how patriarchal norms segment the empowering effects of economic independence in contemporary Jordan.
