Research on Household Labor: Modeling and Measuring the Social Embeddedness of Routine Family Work

Abstract

ࡗ Research on Household Labor: Modeling and Measuring the Social Embeddedness of Routine Family Work This article reviews more than 200 scholarly articles and books on household labor published between 1989 and 1999. As a maturing area of study, this body of research has been concerned with understanding and documenting how housework is embedded in complex and shifting social processes relating to the well-being of families, the construction of gender, and the reproduction of society. Major theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions to the study of household labor are summarized, and suggestions for further research are offered. In summary, women have reduced and men have increased slightly their hourly contributions to housework. Although men's relative contributions have increased, women still do at least twice as much routine housework as men. Consistent predictors of sharing include both women's and men's employment, earnings, gender ideology, and life-course issues. More balanced divisions of housework are associated with women perceiving fairness, experiencing less depression, and enjoying higher marital satisfaction.American families are facing complex and contradictory challenges as we embark on the 21st century. Although beliefs about the appropriate roles of men and women in the workplace have undergone substantial shifts in the past several decades,

Paid Work and Domestic Labor in Disadvantaged Communities on the Outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon

“…The composite index also confirms that women do significantly more housework than men do in all of the three communities (total composite index=73.22 for men and 196.38 for women, t=−78.79, p=0.000). This finding is in accordance with the literature on the existing imbalance in the division of housework, which remains primarily women's responsibility (Coltrane, 2000;Demo & Acock, 1993;Hossain & Roopnarine, 1993;Starrels, 1994;Twiggs et al, 1999;Van Willigen & Drentea, 2001). The results also confirm previous findings on the division of housework among men and women aged 5 years and older in Hay el Sellom, Nabaa, and Burj Barajneh Camp, which revealed that housework is feminized, not only in adulthood, but also in the early stage of childhood (Habib, Nuwayhid, Merhi, & Myntti, 2005).…”

“…Previous researchers have used different ways to assess housework (Coltrane, 2000;Nakhaie, 1995;Twiggs et al, 1999). There is evidence that time spent doing a chore by itself is not enough to analyze the contributions of men and women to household labor, but rather, in addition to the type of chore, one must also take into account the frequency with which it is performed (Baxter, 2002;Twiggs et al, 1999).…”

“…Financial management deals with managing payments (bills, debts) and household expenses, whereas home management combines the responsibility for purchasing service water, drinking water, heating supplies, home needs, and personal items. Finally, home maintenance, car maintenance, and car washing come under the maintenance category.Previous researchers have used different ways to assess housework (Coltrane, 2000;Nakhaie, 1995;Twiggs et al, 1999). There is evidence that time spent doing a chore by itself is not enough to analyze the contributions of men and women to household labor, but rather, in addition to the type of chore, one must also take into account the frequency with which it is performed (Baxter, 2002;Twiggs et al, 1999).…”

What Makes Russian Women (Un)Happy? A Closer Look at the Family

“…She seemed to be more satisfied when confirming her traditional role at home, while he was not concerned about this issue, as in the world-wide studies (e.g. Coltrane, 2000).…”

Zabawa czy rutyna? Podział czynności związanych z opieką nad dzieckiem pomiędzy kobietę i mężczyznę w gospodarstwach domowych w Polsce

“…Rutyna jest kobietą. To kobiety zwykle wykonują te czynności, które muszą być zrobione, w dodatku (niemal) codziennie, i istnieje mała elastyczność co do tego, kiedy w ciągu dnia muszą być one wykonane [Coltrane 2000]. W efekcie kobiety gotują, sprzątają, piorą, ubierają dzieci i je karmią.…”