Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Do engineers really make better spouses?

divorcedebbie.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 129 posts

Re: Do engineers really make better spouses?

#11

Post by vkjv »

ckozlowski wrote: post #4

If you look at the Myers-Briggs personality types listed at TypeLogic, you'll see for the INTJ type (most often associated with engineering types) as being said to often "Work at" a relationship. This is, I know, a weak argument at best, but I would toss out as something to ponder that perhaps there's a higher incidence of analytic types to dissect and improve their relationship. ...or simply inclined to remain with…

While INTJ are most often associated with engineers, most engineers are not. INTJ is pretty rare, I think somewhere around 1%, which would make it only account for roughly 20% of engineers and scientists [citation needed].

Honestly, with money being one of the leading causes of divorce, I would say a reasonable assumption is just that engineers make more of it and are more likely to spend what they do have wisely.

Re: Do engineers really make better spouses?

#14

Post by creshal »

vkjv wrote: post #11
ckozlowski wrote: post #4

If you look at the Myers-Briggs personality types listed at TypeLogic, you'll see for the INTJ type (most often associated with engineering types) as being said to often "Work at" a relationship. This is, I know, a weak argument at best, but I would toss out as something to ponder that perhaps there's a higher incidence of analytic types to dissect and improve their relationship. ...or simply inclined to remain with…

While INTJ are most often associated with engineers, most engineers are not. INTJ is pretty rare, I think somewhere around 1%, which would make it only account for roughly 20% of engineers and scientists [citation needed]. Honestly, with money being one of the leading causes of divorce, I would say a reasonable assumption is just that engineers make more of it and are more likely to spend what they do have wisely.

> I would say a reasonable assumption is just that engineers make more of it

And have a low chance of suddenly getting laid off, and good chances at quickly finding new employment (at least compared to the vast majority of jobs).

Re: Do engineers really make better spouses?

#15

Post by nashashmi »

I find that male engineers are more difficult to handle by their wives, but if they can be handled, the engineer will hardly ever switch marriages or give up on the one thing that he's got that actually works.

There is also stability of income and quality of life that comes into play. When there is stability in the professional field, an engineer has more time to dedicate to his family. That is a gigantic luxury in itself.

Re: Do engineers really make better spouses?

#16

Post by drpgq »

cauterized wrote: post #6

Divorce rates are also linked to income. Engineering is typically a more stable and better paying career than something like dance (given as the counterexample in the article). How much of the difference in divorce rates is attributable to that?

I wonder if a small part of the dancer/bartender vs engineer situation is that engineers (statistically usually male) often are working mostly with other men. My sister is married to a ballet dancer (who just retired to start studying to become a nurse) and he obviously was in pretty close contact with the opposite sex.

Re: Do engineers really make better spouses?

#18

Post by andrewstuart2 »

Seems pretty obvious to me that the amount of contact with the opposite gender plays a huge part. Since most married couples are heterosexual and Engineering is still dominated by men, so contact of any kind is more rare.

On the other hand, dancers and choreographers are very likely to be dancing or choreographing with someone other than their spouse, at a very close physical distance to very fit partners who are nearly always the opposite gender. Jealousy and infidelity probably both play a part there. Same goes for bartenders -- the chances somebody comes to my engineering firm looking for a hot date? Not much, but a bar? That's a little more likely.

And lastly, I had to chuckle at agricultural engineers. All I can picture is a guy designing a combine, alone, in the middle of a cornfield. Good luck meeting someone ;-)

Re: Do engineers really make better spouses?

#19

Post by pconner »

zelos wrote: post #7

"The article also purports that the higher level of communication inherent in engineering jobs may be vital. A healthy communication in a marriage is vital for its survival." Yeah, us software engineers are renowned for our communication skills.

You do need good communication skills to be an effective software engineer.

Re: Do engineers really make better spouses?

#20

Post by Fuxy »

zelos wrote: post #7

"The article also purports that the higher level of communication inherent in engineering jobs may be vital. A healthy communication in a marriage is vital for its survival." Yeah, us software engineers are renowned for our communication skills.

If I had to guess I would say it's the cause of 2 factors:

1.Certain professions attract certain personality types so you won't see a lot of extroverted social people choosing engineering as their profession

Extroverts social as they are will always have more options and are less likely to stick around if things get sour.

2.Financial stability means that even if the woman is unhappy in the relationship she is more likely to stick around because it offers stability.

Why do you think all the girls always have a boyfriend even if their not that into him.

Society tells them you're a looser if you don't have a boyfriend so they always keep one around that doesn't mean their not willing to upgrade though :)

Edit: I analogize for generalizing and saying engineers are all men it is mostly true however as pointed out in the comments below not in all cases however I cannot say anything about the reverse case.

Post reply on HN