Paper short abstract:

In this article, based on cultural models theory, we have attempted to show how we can gain a better understanding of the concept HUSBAND/Man between two groups of women. We assume that the conception of women about HUSBAND is the bedrock of gender inequalities esp. at home.

Paper long abstract:

Cultural models as the "representation" of cultural knowledge and "shared anticipated and naturally accepted models of reality" play a significant role in understanding people's worldview and their actual behavior. They are inter subjective and interpretive forms through which individuals regulate their knowledge of the world. According to Cultural model theory, this article through examining the conceptual metaphors and cultural schemas of the concept HUSBAND/Man between two groups of middle-class married women without income aims to show how we can gain a better understanding of the given concept. These two groups consist of women with children, believe in child as a basic component of family formation (group A) and women deliberately not having children, and do not believe as such (group B). Then, by examining the schemas and metaphors, we found that women in-group A, in contrast to group B; have mental images of superiority for males over females. They believe that women need men to have a successful life, and therefore married women are more successful than single women are. These findings help us to show how some factors of gender inequalities could stem in part from cultural models of HUSBAND. These cultural models motivates women in-group A to maintain the married status by various strategies such as bearing child. It seems that one of the reasons for gender inequalities is the conception of women about husband/man, and this conception become the bedrock of gender inequalities esp. at home and in their personal lives.