For Work / Against Work
Debates on the centrality of work

"Sharing household tasks in the United States and Sweden: A reassessment of Kohn's theory"

by Aytac, Isik (1990)

Abstract

Using Kohn's resocialization theory in a marital power framework, this research explores two factors that might change the traditional division of labor at home: a wife's decision?making at work and her income. Using ordinary least squares regression analysis, the research reveals that when wives have decision?making responsibility at work, their husband share more of the domestic chores. These results, although based on cross?sectional data, show that the conventional division of labor at home can change as wives gain more power in the workplace.

Key Passage

Kohn and Schooler's (1983) work allows us to formulate a theoretical link in the relationship between work characteristics and the division of labor at home. If, as Kohn and Schooler asserted, work conditions can resocialize individuals, then the acquisition of new norms and values may affect domestic roles as well. Seccombe (1986), in an application of Kohn's theory, examined the effect of occupational conditions on the division of household labor (for a detailed discussion of Kohn's work, see Seccombe 1986, p. 840). Using a path model, she analyzed the influence of various work characteristics on housekeeping roles. The results showed little support for Kohn's theory. (p.358)

Keywords

Kohn, Resocialization, Intellectual Flexibility, Reciprocity, Personality, Identity, Self, Distress, Psychology, Work Complexity

Themes

Kohn-Schooler, Psychological Centrality of Work

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