If you ain't no punk holla we want prenup
WE WANT PRENUP! Yeah
It's something that you need to have
'Cause when she leave yo @ss she gon' leave with half
Abstract
Through a reflexive thematic analysis of user-generated Reddit threads and a sensemaking lens, this study investigated how people made sense of prenuptial agreements through metaphors. Some posters framed prenuptial agreements as undesirable, antithetical to marriage’s purpose (comparing them to escape or back up plans and harbingers of doubt). However, most viewed prenups as beneficial, conceptualizing them as a safety net (a form of insurance or prevention) or essential contract. Redditors’ understanding of prenups provides valuable insight into how people rationalize something that remains taboo and stigmatized in society, despite potential benefits to people’s interpersonal and financial well-being. As metaphors guide individuals’ everyday thinking and behaviors, prenuptial agreement sensemaking can inform how stigma can be affected through people’s narratives, as well as the power of metaphor to influence and alter people’s thoughts, actions, and identities. The findings both underscore the need to destigmatize prenuptial agreements in order to encourage premarital conversations about money and inform several implications for practice and policy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Afifi, T. D., Davis, S., Merrill, A. F., Coveleski, S., Denes, A., & Shahnazi, A. F. (2018). Couples’ communication about financial uncertainty following the Great Recession and its association with stress, mental health and divorce proneness. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 39(2), 205–219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-017-9560-5
Alexa. (2018). Reddit.com traffic statistics. https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/reddit.com. Accessed 1 April 2020.
Amato, P. R. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(4), 1269–1287. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2000.01269.x
Amato, P. R. (2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 650–666. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00723.x
American Psychological Association. (2020). Marriage and divorce. https://www.apa.org/topics/divorce. Accessed 1 April 2020.
Ancona, D. (2012). Framing and acting in the unknown. In S. Snook, N. Nohria, & R. Khurana (Eds.), The handbook for teaching leadership. (pp. 3–19). SAGE Publications.
Arnold, L. S., & Beelmann, A. (2019). The effects of relationship education in low-income couples: A meta-analysis of randomized-controlled evaluation studies. Family Relations, 68(1), 22–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12325
Barthel, M., Stocking, G., Holcomb, J., & Mitchell, A. (2016). Reddit news users more likely to be male, young and digital in their news preferences. Pew Research Center.
Barton, A. W., & Bryant, C. M. (2016). Financial strain, trajectories of marital processes, and African American newlyweds’ marital instability. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(6), 657–664. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000190
Baym, N. K. (2010). Personal connections in the digital age. Polity Press.
Becker, G. S. (1997). Why every married couple should sign a contract. Bloomberg. Retrieved December 28, 1997 from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1997-12-28/why-every-married-couple-should-sign-a-contract
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise, and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2020). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238
Britt, S. L., Huston, S., & Durband, D. B. (2010). The determinants of money arguments between spouses. Journal of Financial Therapy, 1(1), 42–60. https://doi.org/10.4148/jft.v1i1.253
Burgers, C., Konijn, E. A., & Steen, G. J. (2016). Figurative framing: Shaping public discourse through metaphor, hyperbole, and irony. Communication Theory, 26, 410–430. https://doi.org/10.1111/comt.12096
Carter, E. R. (2016). Rethinking premarital agreements: A collaborative approach. New Mexico Law Review, 46, 354–382
Cassell, C., & Bishop, V. (2014). Metaphors and sensemaking: Understanding the taint associated with dirty work. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 9, 254–269. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-12-2012-1123
Conger, R. D., Ge, X. J., & Lorenz, F. O. (1994). Economic stress and marital relationships. In R. D. Conger & G. H. Elders (Eds.), Families in troubled times. (pp. 187–203). Walter de Gruyter.
Custis, K. D. (2014). Can the government teach people how to be married? Campbell Law Observer. Retrieved February 10, 2014 from http://campbelllawobserver.com/love-lessons-can-the-government-teach-people-how-to-be-married/
Davidson, P. (2020). Valentine's Day taboo: Real conversations about prenups, death and bank passwords. USA Today. Retrieved February 13, 2020 from https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/02/13/valentines-day-2020-prenups-death-bank-passwords-taboo-topics/4737005002/
Dew, J. (2009). Thrifty couples are the happiest. In W. B. Wilcox (Ed.), The state of our unions. (pp. 23–30). The National Marriage Project.
Dew, J. (2011). The association between consumer debt and the likelihood of divorce. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 32(4), 554–565. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-011-9274-z
Dew, J., & Dakin, J. (2011). Financial disagreements and marital conflict tactics. Journal of Financial Therapy, 2(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.4148/jft.v2i1.1414
Foster, C. I. (2011). When a prenup & religious principles COLLIDE: Anticipating faith, marriage, and the possibility of divorce. Family Advocate, 33, 34–37
Heinig, M. (2021). Prenuptial agreement lawyers: Do you need one? NOLO. https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/prenuptial-agreement-lawyers-30035.html. Accessed 1 April 2020.
Hill, R. C., & Levenhagen, M. (1995). Metaphors and mental models: Sensemaking and sensegiving in innovative and entrepreneurial activities. Journal of Management, 21(6), 1057–1074
Israel, L. (2013). Prenups can be bad for marital health. The New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2013 from https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/03/21/the-power-of-the-prenup/prenups-can-be-bad-for-marital-health
Kaslow, F. (1991). Enter the prenuptial: A prelude to marriage or remarriage. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 9, 375–386
Kirby, E. L., & Harter, L. M. (2003). Speaking the language of the bottom-line: The metaphor of “managing diversity.” The Journal of Business Communication, 40, 28–49
Kochhar, R. (2017). Relationship between attachment styles and willingness to sign prenuptial agreements. Meliora: International Journal of Student Sustainability Research. https://doi.org/10.22493/Meliora.1.1.0004
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago.
Leonhardt, M. (2021). Here’s why Suze Orman says you should always get a prenup. CNBC Make It. Retrieved March 11, 2021 from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/why-suze-orman-says-you-should-always-get-a-prenup.html#:~:text=A%20side%20benefit%20to%20getting,how%20they%20think%20about%20money
Little, L. (2010). More women say “I do” to prenups. ABC News. Retrieved April 26, 2010 from https://abcnews.go.com/Business/women-prenups/story?id=11721518
Mahar, H. (2003). Why are there so few prenuptial agreements? Harvard Law School, John M. Olin Center for Law, Economics, and Business. http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/olin_cente. Accessed 1 April 2020.
Maitlis, S., & Christianson, M. (2014). Sensemaking in organizations: Taking stock and moving forward. Academy of Management Annals, 8, 57–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/19416520.2014.873177
Margulies, S. (2003). The psychology of prenuptial agreements. Journal of Psychiatry & Law, 31, 415–432
Marston, A. A. (1997). Planning for love: The politics of prenuptial agreements. Stanford Law Review, 49, 887–916
Maybruch, C., Weissman, S., & Pirutinsky, S. (2017). Marital outcomes and consideration of divorce among orthodox jews after signing a religious prenuptial agreement to facilitate future divorce. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 58(4), 276–287. https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2017.1301152
McDowell, E. (2019). There's been a 62% spike in people getting prenups, and experts say it's being driven by millennials. Business Insider. Retrieved September 3, 2019 from https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-are-driving-an-increase-in-prenuptial-agreements-2019-8
Mendoza, D. S., & Krone, S. P. (1997). An interview with Judy G. Barber: Prenuptial agreements, intimacy, trust and control. Family Business Review, 10, 173–178. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.1997.00173
Moore, J., & Abetz, J. S. (2019). What do parents regret about having children? Communicating regrets online. Journal of Family Issues, 40, 390–412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X18811388
Morley, J. D. (2021). Prenuptial agreements around the world. The law office of Jeremy D. Morley, International Family Law. https://www.international-divorce.com/prenuptial-agreements-around-the-world-2. Accessed 1 April 2020.
Munnell, A. H., Hou, W., & Sanzenbacher, G. T. (2018). How does divorce affect retirement security? Psychosociological Issues in Human Resource Management, 6(2), 44–55
Papp, L. M., Cummings, E. M., & Goeke-Morey, M. C. (2009). For richer, for poorer: Money as a topic of marital conflict in the home. Family Relations, 58, 91–103. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2008.00537.x
Poliacoff, J. H. (2011). What does love have to do with it? A prenuptial agreement should not kill the romance, but should quell your clients’ fears about marriage and divorce. Family Advocate, 33, 12–15
Redden, S. M., Tracy, S. J., & Shafer, M. S. (2013). A metaphor analysis of recovering substance abusers’ sensemaking of medication-assisted treatment. Qualitative Health Research, 23, 951–962
Reddit. (2017). Reddiquette. Retrieved June 29, 2017 from www.reddithelp.com/en/categories/reddit-101/reddit-basics/reddiquette
Reisman, S. (1990). Prenuptial agreements in history. The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 1990 from https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/22/nyregion/l-prenuptial-agreements-in-history-636790.html
Romo, L. K. (2014). “These aren’t very good times”: Financial uncertainty experienced by romantic partners in the wake of an economic downturn. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 35(4), 477–488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-014-9389-0
Romo, L. K. (2015). An examination of how people in romantic relationships use communication to manage financial uncertainty. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 43(3), 315–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2015.1052831
Ryznar, M., & Stepien-Sporek, A. (2009). To have and to hold, for Richer or Richer: Premarital agreements in the comparative context. Chapman Law Review, 13, 27–62
Scherer, A. M., Scherer, L. D., & Fagerlin, A. (2015). Getting ahead of illness: Using metaphors to influence medical decision making. Medical Decision Making, 35, 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X14522547
Schreier, H. (2020). Financial planning for young adults: Prenuptial agreements—What you should know before you get married. Forbes. Retrieved October 16, 2020 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/halseyschreier/2020/10/16/financial-planning-for-young-adults-prenuptial-agreements-what-you-should-know-before-you-get-married/?sh=116e7ea6586f
Shane, S. (2018). The rise of the millennial prenup. The New York Times. Retrieved July 6, 2018 from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/06/smarter-living/millennial-prenup-weddings-money.html
Simpson, D. M., Leonhardt, N. D., & Hawkins, A. J. (2018). Learning about love: A meta-analytic study of individually-oriented relationship education programs for adolescents and emerging adults. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(3), 477–489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0725-1
Spitzer, M. (2017). How much does divorce cost? Bankrate. Retrieved May 11, 2017 from https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/smart-money/how-much-does-divorce-cost
Stanley, S. M., Carlson, R. G., Rhoades, G. K., Markman, H. J., Ritchie, L. L., & Hawkins, A. J. (2020). Best practices in relationship education focused on intimate relationships. Family Relations, 69(3), 497–519. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12419
Thibodeau, P. H. (2016). Extended metaphors are the home runs of persuasion: Don’t fumble the phrase. Metaphor and Symbol, 31, 53–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926488.2016.1150756
Thibodeau, P. H., Crow, L., & Flusberg, S. J. (2017). The metaphor police: A case study of the role of metaphor in explanation. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 24, 1375–1386. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-016-1192-5
Tracy, S. J. (2012). The toxic and mythical combination of a deductive writing logic for inductive qualitative research. Qualitative Communication Research, 1, 109–142. https://doi.org/10.1525/qcr.2012.1.1.109
Tracy, S. J. (2013). Qualitative research methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis communication impact. Wiley.
Tracy, S. J., Lutgen-Sandvik, P., & Alberts, J. K. (2006). Nightmares, demons, and slaves: Exploring the painful metaphors of workplace bullying. Management Communication Quarterly, 20, 148–185. https://doi.org/10.1177/0893318906291980
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (2002). State policies to promote marriage. C marriage and relationship preparation and education. Retrieved September 1, 2002 from https://aspe.hhs.gov/report/state-policies-promote-marriage/c-marriage-and-relationship-preparation-and-education
Walther, M. C. (1996). Do you need a premarital agreement? Family Advocate, 18, 46–48
Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Sage Publications.
Weick, K. E., Sutcliffe, K. M., & Obstfeld, D. (2005). Organizing and the process of sensemaking. Organization Science, 16, 409–421. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1050.0133
Wilcox, W. B. (2013). If you want a prenup you don’t want a marriage. The New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2013 from https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/03/21/the-power-of-the-prenup/if-you-want-a-prenup-you-dont-want-marriage
Williamson, H. C., Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (2013). Financial strain and stressful events predict newlyweds’ negative communication independent of relationship satisfaction. Journal of Family Psychology, 27(1), 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031104
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Romo, L.K., Czajkowski, N. An Examination of Redditors’ Metaphorical Sensemaking of Prenuptial Agreements. J Fam Econ Iss 43, 1–14 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-021-09765-5
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-021-09765-5