Krista Lynn Minnotte

Family Work Performance and Satisfaction: Gender Ideology, Relative Resources, and Emotion Work

Abstract Using data taken from a random sample of married and cohabiting couples (N =96), we examine the factors associated with a couples division of unpaid family work. We extend the usual analyses by testing, in addition to gender ideology and relative resource factors, the role of a partners emotion-work performance. We find that all three perspectives are relevant to the discussion of unpaid family work: gender ideology and relative resources are associated with the division of housework and child care, and partners emotion-work performance is the most predictive of domestic-labor satisfaction. doi:10.1300/J002v40n04_04

Perceived Discrimination and Work-to-Life Conflict Among Workers in the United States

Following scholarship that highlights the importance of negative workplace relationships in predicting conflict between work and nonwork domains, this study examines whether perceptions of sex, race, and age discrimination are related to work-to-life conflict using data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (N = 2,335). The potential moderating role of workplace social support, including coworker support and supervisor support, is also examined. All three forms of perceived discrimination are associated with higher levels of work-to-life conflict even when workplace social support is controlled for. The findings indicate limited support for the moderating role of workplace social support.

Occupation and Industry Sex Segregation, Gender, and Workplace Support: The Use of Flexible Scheduling Policies

This study examines how industry and occupation sex segregation are related to the use of flexible scheduling policies and perceptions of the career repercussions of using such policies. The analysis is performed on data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (N = 2,810). Findings suggest that the percentage of women per industry and occupation increase the likelihood of using flexible scheduling; however, the effect is not cumulative. The results show that organization family support interacts with gender and the sex composition of the industry in predicting use of flexible scheduling. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the relationship between the extent of sex segregation and perceptions of the career repercussions of using policies is complicated with a three-way interaction of percentage women per industry, percentage women per occupation, and gender. These patterns are discussed in further detail along with implications of the study.

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TYPES OF FAMILY WORK AND MARITAL WELL-BEING

We use an expanded definition of family work and test its association with marital well-being. Using a gender perspective, we examine the role of the respondents and partners performance of family work for both husbands and wives. Data are taken from a sample of couples with dependent children under age 18 (N = 96), and separate regression equations are estimated by gender. Though housework is cited as one of the most contentious issues reported by couples, it is not significant in our analysis of marital well-being. In our analysis, other forms of family work are considered, and childcare, emotion work, and formal volunteering are significantly associated with marital well-being. The role of partners provision of emotion work is particularly salient. Discussion of the gendered nature of our findings follows.

Extending the Job Demands–Resources Model Predicting Perceived Parental Success Among Dual-Earners

This study extended the job demands–resources model to consider how resources and demands stemming from the work domain were related to the perceived parental success of dual-earner mothers and fathers. The analysis was performed using data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (N = 308 dual-earner mothers and 296 dual-earner fathers). Results for mothers indicated that job resources and demands only mattered when the interactions between them were considered, with supervisor support and organizational support moderating how the demand of nonstandard work hours related to perceived parental success. The findings for fathers highlight the importance of direct relationships, with the results showing that nonstandard work hours were related to lower perceived parental success, whereas the work resources of coworker support and supervisor support were both positively related to the dependent variable. These findings suggest that the job demands–resources model can be extended to examine the perceptions held by mothers and fathers regarding their parenting.

Self- and Spouse-Reported Work–Family Conflict and Dual-Earners’ Job Satisfaction

We add to the literature on job satisfaction by examining the role played by self-reported and spouse-reported work–family conflict for dual-earner husbands and wives (N = 156 couples, 312 individuals), a contagion model of work and family. Two path models of job satisfaction were tested: a spillover model, including the respondents work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict, and a crossover model, including the spouses perception of the respondents work-to-family conflict. Workplace and family/respondent characteristics were also included in the models. For wives, job satisfaction is associated with family-to-work conflict (spillover). For husbands, job satisfaction is associated with his spouses perception of his work-to-family conflict (crossover). For both husbands and wives, coworker support is both directly and indirectly associated with job satisfaction.

Does it Take a Village to Make a Marriage? Exploring the Relationship between Community and Marital Satisfaction

Abstract This paper explores the relationship between community and marital satisfaction using evidence from Utah. To do so, we analyze the effects of three sets of independent variables on marital satisfaction: demographic variables (number of children, education, household income, age, and religious affiliation), neighborhood quality (neighborhood assessment and perceptions of informal helping at the neighborhood level), and community integration (use of community services, volunteer work, and length of community residence). Seemingly Unrelated Regression analyses of survey data from northern Utah demonstrate that religious affiliation (negative association) and perceptions of informal helping at the neighborhood level (positive association) are significantly associated with womens marital satisfaction. For men, neighborhood assessment and perceptions of informal helping at the neighborhood level are positively and significantly associated with marital satisfaction.

Tending to the Emotions of Children: Predicting Parental Performance of Emotion Work with Children

Scholars, recognizing emotion work as a type of domestic labor, have examined whether domestic labor theories explain emotion work. Few studies, however, have investigated the predictors of emotion work with children. In this study, the authors examine the usefulness of 3 domestic labor theories (i.e., time availability, relative resources, and gender ideology) in explaining relative emotion work with children. Data are from a random sample of couples with children (N = 96 couples). The results suggest that mens labor force hours are negatively related to mens relative performance of emotion work with children and positively related to womens relative performance. Further, womens traditional gender ideologies are related to increased relative emotion work performance with children for women and decreased relative performance for men. Relative income is also a significant predictor of womens performance of emotion work with children. The authors discuss the implications of the study.

Getting by with a Little Help from Workplace Friends: Workplace Culture, Social Support, and Family Cohesion

Studies have shown a negative association between certain aspects of workplace culture and family functioning. Using a neo-institutional framework, we examine whether workplace social support moderates the influence of three features of workplace culture—time demands, work pressure, and work strain—on family cohesion. Analyzing survey data from 312 individuals in dual-earner relationships, we control for number of children, education, income, employment status, and occupational status. We find that workplace social support is directly associated with family cohesion but does not serve as a buffer between dimensions of workplace culture and family cohesion.

Professional parents’ loyalty to employer: The role of workplace social support

Abstract Professional mothers are more likely than professional fathers to leave workplaces—a phenomenon referred to as opting out. Previous research asserts that work–family challenges, including lack of access to supportive workplaces, are among the main reasons for this pattern. Despite revived interest in the study of opting out, little is known about factors shaping the loyalty to employer of those currently employed. Using data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (N = 160 professional mothers; 114 professional fathers) we explore how three important forms of workplace social support – coworker support, supervisor support, and supportive workplace culture – are associated with professional mothers’ and fathers’ loyalty to their employees. Including fathers allows us to determine if gender dynamics are present in these patterns. The results suggest gendered patterns where supportive workplace culture relates to professional fathers’ employer loyalty and supervisor support relates to professional mothers’ employer loyalty.