Catherine A. Solheim

Stress as a Driver of the Allocation of Housework

This study examines the allocation of housework dynamically. Over 10 weeks, a small sample of young married couples used daily logs to report housework time in 6 tasks and the levels of stress they experienced at home and in other role settings. Stress was hypothesized to drive time allocations by spilling over from one setting to another or by crossing over from one spouse to the other. Results supported the hypothesis. For both spouses, less housework followed both high stress from outside the home and low, home-based stress. Gender differences were seen with the crossover of stress. In response to their partners home-based stress, husbands did more housework, but wives did less. When their partners stress originated outside the home, mens contributions did not change, but women contributed more. Housework time is not the product of a static contract but a dynamic decision-making process sensitive to the social environment. For over 30 years, researchers have been collecting and interpreting data on the allocation of housework as if these allocations were based on a static contract. Typical theoretical models have emphasized role relationships (e.g., Blood & Wolfe, 1960; Perry-Jenkins & Crouter, 1990; Shelton, 1990), resource discrepancies between marital partners (e.g., Ross, 1987; Spitze, 1986), gender (Ahrentzen, Levine, & Michelson, 1989; Antill & Cotton, 1988; Douthitt, 1989), or other relatively stable attributes of a couple or its members. The models apparently have assumed a division of housework based on an agreement, spoken or unspoken, that changed little with time. Accepting this theoretical assumption had critical implications for the measurement strategies employed when attempting to predict or explain the allocation of housework. Measurement techniques have relied, for the most part, on rather gross estimates of responsibility or time contributions to housework. Because measures have been broad and imprecise, their use has contributed to the tendency to consider housework in static terms, while also preventing the employment of analysis strategies capable of treating the allocation of housework dynamically. Current and classic research show three dominant methods, each too gross to detect dynamic allocations. One asks about the relative level of responsibility for the performance of housework in a couple (e.g., Blood & Wolfe, 1960). This approach focuses on whether responsibilities for tasks or their performance are divided equally or require more of one partner than the other. A second strategy assesses time investments in housework within a particular time period (e.g., Rexroat & Shehan, 1987). The time frame evaluated is often the typical week (Antill & Cotton, 1988; Coverman, 1985; Pleck, 1985; Spitze, 1986; Spitze & Ward, 1995). Sometimes housework is defined broadly; other times it is defined in terms of specific tasks. This second approach adds precision beyond the first because, through its use, researchers can report on relative performance (or responsibility) as well as who does how much of what. Studies sometimes examine time estimates from both partners (e.g., Coltrane & Ishii-Kuntz, 1992), but some use the reports of only one spouse, typically wives (e.g., Blair & Johnson, 1992). The third common methodology uses time diaries. Diaries tend to be used less to study the allocation of housework than the more broadly conceived activities of daily life (e.g., Juster Stafford, 1985; but Berk, 1985, is an exception). Nevertheless, the precision of time diary data for the measurement of housework is greater than the gross estimates of housework completed in a typical week. Yet, most time diary studies collect data for only 1 weekday and I weekend day, and these data are used to construct a synthetic week. Although the data are more detailed and closer to a true representation of the actual occurrences of the day on which they were collected, they are still too gross to show a dynamic process if one exists. …

Satisfaction and role quality perceptions of farm women employed off the farm

The purpose of the study is to examine the relationships among perceptions of role quality on the farm and in the family, perceived financial need to work off the farm, and satisfaction with the balance of time away from and with family members for 187 employed farm women. Role quality perception variables measure the gap farm women experienced between actual and ideal farm and family roles. The perceived financial need to work is considered a constraint to satisfaction and an influence on role quality. OLS regression is the primary data-analysis technique. Employed farm women with large households are less satisfied with the balance of time away from and with family members. Those employed farm women who perceived a larger gap between their actual and ideal family roles are less satisfied with the balance between time away from and with family members.

Opportunities for Family Life Education in Thailand

Thailand is experiencing significant and rapid economic, demographic, and social changes that are having significant impacts on family life. The institution of the family is highly valued in Thai culture, reflected in the explicit inclusion of human development and family relationship topics in their educational standards. However, an actual field of family science or family life education appears fragmented even in the midst of an increasing need to help families understand how societal changes are impacting family life and the need for new knowledge and skills to cope and thrive. This chapter provides an initial examination of some of the forces that are converging to create a pressing need for action. It also suggests important partners who could be involved in the development of a robust family life education field in Thailand.

The Facilitating Role of Communication Technology in Nonresident Father–Teen Relationships

The goal of this study was to understand communication technology’s role in nonresident father–teen relationships. A qualitative study explored the meanings teens attributed to technology-mediated interactions with their nonresident fathers. The study found that teens’ interactions mediated by contemporary communication technologies helped maintain connections with their fathers in multiple ways, increased intimacy, helped them feel part of the same world, facilitated family interaction, and allowed teens to control access to parts of their lives. Results and implications for research and practice are discussed.

The link between childhood overindulgence and adult financial behaviors

This study examined the link between overindulgence and buying impulsiveness and the link between buying impulsiveness and credit card misuse among undergraduate students from 2 Midwestern universities. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine these relationships. Overindulgence predicted buying impulsiveness when controlling for the effects of age, race, gender, public or private school, and whether or not the student was employed. Buying impulsiveness predicted credit card misuse while using the same control variables. Overindulgence was not found to predict credit card misuse.

Illuminating a Course Transformation Journey

The need to internationalize higher education is an imperative accepted by most college faculty. The challenge is that most faculty are not prepared for that task, having been trained primarily in their academic disciplines and lacking a solid grounding in international or intercultural content and pedagogy.

Preparing Hospitality Professionals to Serve the Multicultural Market: Creating an Internationalized Curriculum

Hospitality management faculty are facing the challenge of developing a comprehensive international program using theory from the field of international education. The vision and goals, the hierarchical framework upon which actions plans have been implemented, progress to date, and future objectives are presented as a model for other programs.

Comparing Empirical Typologies of Premarital Couples from Four Chinese Countries and American Premarital Couples

This study developed an empirical couple typology using a convenient sample of premarital Chinese couples from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan and compared that typology with a premarital American couple typology. Cluster analyses were conducted with a sample of 7,567 premarital Chinese couples who completed the PREPARE inventory. Results identified four types of premarital Chinese couples: Vitalized, Harmonious, Traditional, and Conflicted. As hypothesized, the four premarital couple types were replicated across the Chinese and American samples, but the frequency of couples in each type differed. Couple typologies can be used to recommend premarital preparation approaches that fit each of the four couple types.