This study examined the expectation·performance·difference of the spouse role and their effect on marital satisfaction among rural couples. For this purpose, the data of 300 individuals of 150 couples were analysed by using the SAS program. The major findings that were drawn from this study were as follows: First, the difference in spouse role of wife was higher than that of husband. Second, as a result of regression analysis to examine the explanatory power of the spouse role on marital satisfaction, role performance was most effective variable in both husband and wife. And, for wife, economic role area of role expectation(β=.23), sexual·affectional role area of role performance and role difference(β=.31, -.23), and emotional role area of role performance and role difference(β=.27,-.27) affected the marital satisfaction of wife significantly. For husbands, only emotional role area and kinship role area of role performance(β=.33, .19), and social role area of role difference(β=-.19) affected the marital satisfaction of husband significantly.