A Married Couple’s Economic Reciprocal Relationship: Application of Game Theory

An economic theoretical model was developed and a static game of complete information was applied
in an examination of a married couple’s economic reciprocal relationship. Each player (husband and
wife) chose their best strategies (i.e., optimal responses) to maximize payoffs (i.e., happiness). The
theoretical analysis suggests that the couple’s happiness is endogenously and positively correlated
and simultaneously determined. If the wife (or the husband) is not happy with the relationship, it is
impossible for the husband (or the wife) to be happy with the relationship. Moreover, I conducted a
survey of 54 married couples in Lake County, Indiana to collect information related to married couples’
economic behaviors. The survey results suggest that a good communication skill between a married
couple indeed is a primarily important factor in determining a successful marriage.