Adults' attitudes about assignments of household chores to male and female children

Abstract

Data from a 1979 national sample of 3944 adults in the United States were analyzed for the purpose of identifying traditional and nontraditional sex role assignments of household chores. Among the eight chores observed, the proportion of the sample making nontraditional assignments ranged from a high of 90% to a low of 67%. With respect to explanations of traditional/nontraditional sex roles, observations included relationships between adults' age, sex, marital, family, and economic statuses, their assignments of chores to male and female children, and their attitudes about adults' sex roles. Males, older persons, and poor persons were more traditional in assigning chores than were females, the young, and the middle class. No differences were observed in chores assigned by married and single persons, or by married persons with and without children.