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Divisions of Labor in Mexican Origin and Anglo Families: Structure and Culture

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Abstract

Using OLS regression we model predictors of housework hours for 393 Mexican origin and Anglo families from California and Arizona. Contradicting cultural theories, Mexican origin mothers performed less housework when they were employed more hours, had higher relative earnings, and when husbands had more education. Mexican origin fathers performed more housework when family income was lower, wives contributed a larger share of earnings, and fathers had more egalitarian gender ideals. Fathers’ employment hours, wives’ gender attitudes, and familism were not significantly associated with housework hours in Mexican origin families, but were significant in Anglo families. Unique features of the study include analysis of generational status, gatekeeping, and familism. Theoretical reasons for attitudes and socioeconomic status predicting housework are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

Support for this project was provided by grants from NIH: MH 64828, “Effects and Meaning of Fathers for Adolescents: UCR Site” (Scott Coltrane, principal investigator), and “Effects and Meaning of Fathers for Adolescents: ASU Site” (Sanford Braver, principal investigator). We thank the UC Riverside Center for Family Studies and the ASU Prevention Intervention Research Center for technical and material support. We especially thank Ross Parke, Ernestine Avila and Kate Luther for valuable conceptual and practical assistance, Leisy Abrego, Gloria Gonzalez, and Roberto Montenegro for careful reading of a previous version of this manuscript, Jennifer C. Chang for editorial assistance, and the anonymous reviewers of Sex Roles for their constructive comments. We also express our profound gratitude to the many families who shared their experiences by participating in this study.

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  1. Sociology Department, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria St, Carson, CA, 90747, USA

    Katy M. Pinto

  2. Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA

    Scott Coltrane

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  1. Katy M. Pinto
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Correspondence to Katy M. Pinto.

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Pinto, K.M., Coltrane, S. Divisions of Labor in Mexican Origin and Anglo Families: Structure and Culture. Sex Roles 60, 482–495 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9549-5

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