parents can you honestly answer this question?

Question

I was asked a question the other day by a friend writing a paper for psychology class. It struck me hard and I was wondering how others would answer this same question.
If your spouse and child were in mortal danger and you could only save one which would it be? why?
The whole piont to this question is to test a therory that men an women will chose differently.

Answer 1

It would be horrible..but my spouse

Answer 2

Honestly, I'd choose my child. If my husband was in the same situation where he could only save me or my child I would hope that he'd save my child also. I've lived longer. I've experienced more. I would want my child to be able to live instead of me. My husband and I have talked about it and he said the same thing.

Answer 3

I would save the child. I would try my hardest to save my spouse also, but if it was impossible and I had to let him die and my child would live, I'd go for the child. I'm sure any parent could understand that. If you lose a child to save yourself or your spouse, you wouldn't be able to get over it.

Answer 4

I do not have children and I'm not married yet, but I think I would save my child. I can't imagine having a child and not loving it more than anyone in the world.

Answer 5

My child.
1. The bond is stronger
2. My spouse would have already have lead a longer life while my child's is still ahead of him

Answer 6

i would save my child and give them the chance at life. although i love my spouse dearly, he's had a life...he's had the chance to see and do things. my children haven't. i would miss my spouse horribly, but would eventually be happy again by watching my children grow and experience all the things that are out there....and eventually i would find solace in my grandchildren knowing that my husband is looking down and watching over all of us.

Answer 7

I asked this question of my partner, and we both wrote our answers and traded them.

We both picked our child to save.

And funny is because in our heads we both thought the other would say "I'd save my partner"

The idea is that once you have a child, the focus and "point" of your life changes. That child becomes your main priority, to protect and make sure they make it. I have more confidence that my partner would find a way to save himself, than our child, our child relies on us to save him.

EDIT
for what it's worth I was 20 when I asked him that, he was 23.

Answer 8

I actually asked my husband this. We both would save our son's life. My reasoning is that the adult has a chance of saving himself where the child may not have that chance (depending on the age).

Answer 9

I'd save my child...as painful as it would be; we both agree that our child is the most important person in our lives. We're in our late 30's early 40's we've lived well thus far...its her turn.
Besides that if he didn't, he'd better let both of us go because his life would become misery should he save me and not our child.

Answer 10

I would save the child and hope that my husband would do the same if he was in that situation. I wouldn't want to live if I'd been saved and my child had died instead of me.

Answer 11

My child b/c unlike my husband we have bonded in an entirely different way than me and my husband and I wold cherish the times that we had together but my child would be my first choice.