Hiromi Ono

Husbands' and wives' resources and marital dissolution

Prominent theories converge in suggesting that a wifes resources are positively related to marital dissolution (i.e. the wifes independence hypothesis) whereas a husbands resources are inversely related to dissolution (i.e. the husbands income hypothesis). Using data from the [U.S.] Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1968-1985) a discrete-time event history analysis identifies modifications required of both hypotheses. First wifes earnings have a nonlinear U-shaped relationship to the risk of marital dissolution. Second the impact of husbands earnings varies as a function of wifes earnings.... Finally results fail to support the hypothesis that better economic prospects for a wife measured by education and time worked increase the risk of marital dissolution separately from her actual economic standing measured by her earnings. (EXCERPT)

An Assessment of Alternative Measures of Time Use

Although time use has received much attention by social scientists as an index of resource allocation and social relations across groups, only a few studies have carefully assessed the relative strengths and weaknesses of the existing methods of measuring time use: time diary (TD), stylized (S) respondent report, and experiential sampling method (ESM). We note the varying degree of biases that arise in part from the extent of detail in the information collected by the three methods. Using findings from our analysis of the structure of these methods, we hypothesize that there are empirical exceptions to previously reported common findings that TD provides less biased information on time use than does S—namely (a) when labor market workers report their time spent on labor market work, and (b) when the historical trend in time, rather than the absolute level, is studied. Empirical results confirm our prediction and show that, among individuals who work regularly, TD and S estimates of labor market work hours reported by the same persons correspond closely to one another. In addition, when assessing historical trends, TD and S values correspond closely to one another, although TDs yield some inexplicable deviations from the trend even when the sample and the codes are carefully standardized. We also provide notes on a strategy of standardization for diary codes that are distinct across historical or national contexts.

Assimilation, Ethnic Competition, and Ethnic Identities of U.S.‐Born Persons of Mexican Origin

Processes governing the ethnic identification of second and later generations of Mexican immigrant descendants are explored empirically using the Latino National Political Survey, 1989–1990. With multinomial logit regressions, I test hypotheses based on three contrasting perspectives, namely, that ethnic identification, or identification other than “American,” arises directly from: a) cultural continuity and a lower level of assimilation; b) an experience of ethnic competition; and c) both processes. The results from the LNPS support the view that both processes are at work. For example, consistent with the presence of an assimilation process, the chance of “Mexican” identification (as opposed to “American” identification) declines to half in the third generation and to one tenth in the fourth and later generations, relative to the chance in the second generation. Consistent with the presence of an ethnic competition process, (perceived) experience of discrimination doubles the respondents chance of “Mexican” identification. Also, a level rise in the darkness of skin color is associated with a 60 percent increase in the chance of Mexican identification.

Race ethnicity and nativity family structure socioeconomic status and welfare dependency.

There is major policy interest in knowing whether immigrants are more likely to depend on (as opposed to temporarily participate in) welfare compared to native-born persons. However, little systematic empirical research has directly addressed this question. Using longitudinal surveys from the California Work Pays Demonstration Project, a mothers chance of welfare dependency in a time interval is examined. In general, the results are not consistent with the perspective that foreign-born race and ethnic subgroups are more likely to depend on AFDC than are native-born race and ethnic subgroups. This finding holds true irrespective of whether socioeconomic and demographic characteristics are controlled.