Gender Roles in American Households Essay

The social pheno workforceon of changing sexual urge roles in American abodes is explored in this paper. be men and women sharing much equ eachy in assuming mob responsibilities? Do women still bear the majority of the business? How do backwash, metre, and pagan stoop hunt down a role in the division of bray in the mansion? I rent done investigate on the counterchange in sex activity roles among battalion of different ages, genders, and race. Data was amass to see if there is a difference in change surrounded by races, if there is a meaningful change in roles between generations, and if men and women view the change the same or differently.To gain the selective information I used surveying and interviewing as my research methodologies. These methods were used as they were the nearly practical ways to obtain lavish in public figureation needed to form conclusions. ovalbumin, Asiatic, and African Americans of both genders and diverse ages were surveyed and interviewed. I feel my research leave show that with each generation, as more(prenominal) women entered the incline force, the planetary houses of all races learn undergone significant change in which women and men ar sharing both establish and domestic duties more equitably.That be said, the distri andion of domestic chores does modify to firm stratification of gender roles. Both currently and historically race plays a role in that stratification. sexuality role research is socially relevant because each individual in a syndicate is wedge by it. Gender roles in the household can be a factor in whether a marriage is happy and successful. They also influence decision making in the family and parent and child kins. Researchers could use my data to delve deeper into the impact of gender roles in different types of households.Since everyone grows up in some type of household setting, the research could have far ambit implications for most of the population. The first re search method I choose to pull data is the survey. Using a survey to collect data allowed me to slip away a enceinte come of people. Family and friends helped in distributing and collecting the surveys. My parents reverse at a hospital, my Aunt is a teacher, and my friend attends a large university. That allowed me to expire the age companys, genders, and races I needed in order to collect luxuriant data.Included in my survey were both questions nearly today and ab by the past. In addition, using a survey allowed me to ask questions that were not unfastened ended and could easily be converted to statistical data. In the end, I had responses from a minimum of fifteen respondents in each of eighteen categories. The categories are Caucasian fe priapics ages 19-30, Caucasian males ages 19-30, Caucasian females ages 31-49, Caucasian males ages 31-49, Caucasian females ages 50 and above, Caucasian males age 50 and above, and the same for both African Americans and Asiatic Ameri cans.Because of the large number of groups I needed to collect data on, I felt up 15 individuals per category would be a large enough number to get a readative sample. I looked at the responses and felt I had a good sample. Had that not been the case, I would have sighted out more surveys. Included in the survey were questions on the household the psyche grew up in and questions about their household today. For example, respondents were asked if they were raised in a two parent seat. This is a question I checked the responses to when I determined if I had collected enough surveys.It was necessary to have enough positive answers to this question since gender roles is the issue I am flavour at. Also on the survey were questions asking your race and age, who you were raised by, if your beget spend a pennyed outside the home, percentage of division of household chores, and whether the perceived change in gender roles is positive. I did not have some(prenominal) problems with t he survey itself. The only difficulty was finding fifteen respondents for a few of the categories. The second research methodology I used was the interview.In interviewing I was hoping to be qualified to ask follow up questions and steer the interview in a direction that would supply me with the information I needed. The survey did not channel itself to follow up questions. In addition, participant observation and experimentation methodologies were not at all suited to investigate the question of changing household gender roles. I interviewed one person from each of the three races I was researching. In addition, each was from a different age category.All of the interviews were conducted each as I would not have wanted to inconvenience the people who were nice enough to enter. All were interviewed once in an informal expressive style since I believe that discussing your childhood and present home life is beat accomplished in a comfortable setting. I interviewed Dr. Espejo, a 49 year old of Asian decent by telephone as she was unavailable in person. Helen Bonokallie, a 24 year old of African decent was my second interview. I spoke with Helen at her impartplace as she works third shift and that was most convenient for her.My last interview was with Sylvia Johnson, a 66 year old Caucasian. I interviewed her in her nutriment room. I have known Sylvia my entire life and have a close personal bond with her. Aside from choosing my subjects for interviewing and directing the questions to get the answers I needed I did not shape the outcome of the interview. The survey results revealed some(prenominal) trends related to gender roles in American families. The avocation charts and statistical analysis help to clarify the collected data from the surveys.The three tables that follow represent each of the three races I surveyed. Each chart shows the three age groups surveyed and their responses to two questions. The first, as a child what percentage of household work was done by each of your parents? The second, in your home today, what percentage of household work is done by the male and what percentage is done by the female? Looking at the charts a few trends are seen. First, regard slight of race, the percentage of work done by the male is greater in the adult household as compared to the father in the childhood home.That indicates that with each generation gender roles in the home have changed. Ratio of CaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ femalemalechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult In %householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-504%40%0%38%0%0% 60-400%40%4%31%0%40% 70-3012%20%15%23%0%40% 75-250%0%11%8%0%13% 80-2014%0%0%0%20%7% 85-1512%0%11%0%3%0% 90-1058%0%30%0%30%0% 95-50%0%11%0%27%0% 100-00%0%18%0%20%0%.Ratio of AsianAsianAsianAsianAsianAsian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ femalemalechildhoodadultchild hoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%26%0%0%0%0% 60-400%39%0%16%0%0% 70-307%30%0%36%0%28% 75-2510%0%0%12%0%0% 80-2023%5%17%24%3%22% 85-157%0%10%12%13%0% 90-1050%0%30%0%23%36% 95-50%0%30%0%25%0% 100-03%0%13%0%36%14% Ratio of African AfricanAfricanAfricanAfricanAfrican work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ femalemalechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%0%0%0%0%6%.60-400%63%0%18%0%18% 70-3031%31%7%28%0%38% 75-2531%0%8%12%5%7% 80-2015%6%8%36%25%12% 85-150%0%23%0%0%0% 90-1023%0%46%6%30%19% 95-50%0%8%0%25%0% 100-00%0%0%0%15%0% In addition, under no circumstance did the males of any race or age perform more household work than the females. The data also shows that there is no difference in gender roles today among Caucasians, African Americans, and Asian Americans in the 19-30 age group. In the Asian American group of individuals fifty and older, 72% of women still do 80-100% of the household work today.In contrast, in the same age group, only 7% of Caucasian women and 31% of African American women perform 80-100% of household work. harmonise to the 2004 United States Census, 69% of Asians were born in another country (Lee and Pituc 2007). This is significant in that many older Asian-Americans adhere to traditional cultural values. traditionalistic Asian gender roles prescribe for women to place the role of wife and set out above all others men are expected to be the breadwinner and spokesperson.Asian cultural values consequently encourage distinct spheres for men and women and a gendered household division of labor in which the burden of household duties much(prenominal) as housekeeping tasks and childcare rest heavily on women (Lee and Pituc 2007 1). The following chart was compiled based on the survey question did your mother work outside the home? The y-axis is percentage of working mothers and the x-axis is the age of those surveyed. The graph shows that everywhere time more mothers have become workers outside the home.It also indicates that for all age categories 70% of African American women were in the workforce. Kane stated White women have a history of lower levels of labor force participation and high levels of economic dependence on men than do African-American women (2000 p. 421). This graph when looked at in conjunction with the 3 charts above shows a correlational statistics between women working outside the home and men giving more help around the house. The last survey question was do you hold the change in gender roles in the household is positive or negative. The results were 99% positive and 1% negative.The information obtained from my interviews mirrored the information I got from the surveys. Talking to Sylvia, the 66 year old Caucasian, the idea that generation and women in the workplace play a part in changing gender roles was reinforced. Sylvia related what her home was li ke as a child, indicating that household work was entirely done by her non-working mom. Her home on the other hand is different in that her husband does help out to some extent. She also said her childrens homes are even more equitable when it comes to dividing household chores.Dr. Espejos parents worked together and shared responsibilities in the home. It is the same in her home today, where she and her husband, both physicians, share household duties. Dr. Espejo stated that she feels sharing of household responsibilities strengthens the relationship between a husband and wife and between parents and children. This may be explained by a 2003 study conducted by Y. Espiritu. Trask (2006) states Based on an analyses of divers(a) studies of Asian-American families, Espiritu found that more educated couples tended to share and practice greater egalitarian relationships within households.While women still performed more of the housework, their husbands did participate in all aspects of family work. This increased participation by men may be explained ascribable to an equal monetary contribution from men and women which led to wives successfully forcing their husbands to participate in domestic chores. (P. 4) In my interview with Helen, she pointed out that sharing responsibility around the house helps to equalize the stress between both male and female.In the African- American household she grew up in her father did the prep and laundry while her mother cleaned and helped the children with homework. A recent study has a possible explanation for the sharing of household work in Helens childhood home. The study concluded, When referencing the family and work, black men may be less traditional because they are more sensitive to oppression in general, may share resistance with black women to racial inequality, and often gain borrowing of women in the workforce during early years while being raised by a single working mother (Carter 2006 209).In addition, Blee and Tickamyer state, African American men do not equate masculinity with success, wealth, ambition, and power, but rather with self-determinism and accountability (1995 p. 21). All three interview subjects expressed that change in gender roles where there is a more equal dispersion of household responsibilities is very positive. The research I have done shows that all over time gender roles have changed among the three races I studied. Every group I looked at had fathers who helped out less around the house than the males in their homes today.One important reason for this could be the fact that over time more women have entered the workforce outside the home. It simply has become a necessity for men to help out more around the house. In addition to more women in the work force, culture and race play a role in gender and the household stratification of gender roles. Culture remains important to many Asians Americans, especially the older generation. In those cultures Asian men are seen as the breadwinner and women as household caretakers. That dictates women being almost entirely responsible for the household.In contrast, African American men do not define their masculinity by success, but alternatively by accountability. That leads to many African American men being more equitable in sharing household chores. Since everyone in a household is affected by gender roles, this subject is very important socially. It is a subject worth investigating further as the findings could impact many people. References Blee, Kathleen and Ann Tickamyer. 1995. Racial Differences in Mens Attitudes about Womens Gender Roles. In Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 57, pps 21-30.Carter, J. Scott and Mamadi Corra. 2009. The Interaction of Race and Gender changing Gender Role Attitudes, 1974-2006. In Social Science Quarterly. Vol. 90, pps 196-211 Kane, Emily. 2000. Racial and heathen Variations in Gender-Related Attitudes. In Annual Review of Sociology. Vol. 26, pps 419-436 Lee, S andra and Stephanie Pituc. 2007. Asian Women and performance-Family Issues. In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-6 Trask, Bahira. 2006. Traditional Gender Roles. In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-5.