Social Class Measurement and Women's Occupational Roles

Abstract

A major shortcoming in the measurement of social class is neglect of the characteristics of women, particularly working wives, in the allocation of class position to individuals and families. The increasing proportion of women who work makes this an important factor. Data from several samples show that in a substantial number of marital pairs the occupational and educational level of the wives exceeds that of the husbands, so that about a third of these families are misclassified, using the Hollingshead (1957) Two Factor Index of Social Position for class measurement. The increased life chances accruing when both marriage partners work argue for allocating families to the social class level of the higher of the marriage partners. Because of the differential status of white-collar and blue-collar work in our society, and the segregative distribution of women in certain occupations, the most common effect of such action would be to raise the class level of some families where the husband is a blue-collar worker. The possible consequences of this reclassification are described using a study of adolescent drug use as an example. Indices of social class, at least in the United States, are commonly based on one or more of three indicators; occupation, education, and income. The Hollingshead two factor index combines occupation and education, the Duncan SES considers occupation only, and the U.S. census estimate of socioeconomic status uses all three. Various ad hoc attempts at social class measurement for particular studies often use income alone, or in combination with occupation or education.