An Interpretive Paradigm of the Interaction Between Financial Literacy and Power Dynamics under Gender Norms: An Exploratory Multiple Case Study of the Household Black Box in Thailand

Abstract

This research aimed to: explicate the dynamics of power and negotiation mechanisms underlying complex financial decision-making processes within the private sphere of Thai households; analyze the structural influence of gender norms as regulatory factors shaping power relations and the division of financial management roles between life partners; and propose a theoretical perspective concerning the interaction between financial literacy and normative power.

This study employed an advanced qualitative research approach. The target participants consisted of eight households (life partners) selected as case studies through a human-subject research process, in accordance with advanced qualitative research criteria emphasizing in-depth interpretation. The findings revealed that financial literacy does not influence decision-making power linearly; rather, it is mediated profoundly by symbolic power embedded in gender norms. This phenomenon gives rise to what may be termed “powerless knowledge,” in which individuals with higher levels of financial competence are denied opportunities to exercise their “voice” when that competence conflicts with traditional role expectations. Furthermore, the analysis identified three principal mechanisms operating within the “black box of the household”: (1) a concealed unilateral model, in which one partner exercises absolute authority; (2) a negotiation model under the shadow of normative constraints, where rational deliberation exists but ultimately yields to gendered dignity and expectations; and (3) a strategic partnership model characterized by informational symmetry and mutual transparency. In conclusion, the sustainable opening of the household “black box” requires dismantling irrational normative power structures and promoting financial literacy as a shared competency within life partnerships.