WE propose a role homophily theory which posits that marriages are enhanced when spouses' roles are similar. We use cross-sectional survey data to determine how respondents' marital solidarity is affected by whether wives are employed, and by the occupationally derived socioeconomic status of both husbands and wives. We find that wives' employment has a positive effect on marital solidarity as perceived by both husbands and wives. This finding is consistent with role homophily theory, but inconsistent with the predictions of both sex-role differentiation and bargaining theories. When we examine effects of husbands' and wives' socioeconomic status on marital solidarity we find little support for any of the three theories. We conclude that role homophily theory is the best supported of the three theories.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aldous, J.1978Family Careers: Developmental Change in FamiliesNew York: John Wiley.
2.
Aldous, J., M. W. Osmond , and M. W. Hicks1979"Men's work and men's families," pp. 227-256 in W. R. Burr et al. (eds.) Contemporary Theories about the Family: Research Based Theories. Volume I. New York: Macmillan.
3.
Bean, F. D., R. L. Curtis, Jr., and J. P. Marcum1977"Familism and marital satisfaction among Mexican Americans: the effects of family size, wife's labor force participation, and conjugal power."J. of Marriage and the Family39 (November): 759-767.
4.
Berk, R. and S. F. Berk1979Labor and Leisure at HomeBeverly Hills, CA: Sage.
5.
Bernard, J.1934"Factors in the distribution of marital success."Amer. J. of Sociology49 (July): 49-60.
6.
Blood, R. O. and D. M. Wolfe1960Husbands and Wives: The Dynamics of Married LivingNew York: Macmillan .
7.
Booth, A.1977"Wife's employment and husband's stress: a replication and refutation."J. of Marriage and the Family39 (November): 645-650.
8.
Burke, R. and T. Weir1976"Relationship of wives' employment status to husband, wife and pair satisfaction and performance."J. of Marriage and the Family38 (May): 279-287.
9.
Burr, W.1970"Satisfaction with various aspects of marriage over the life cycle: a random middle class sample."J. of Marriage and the Family32 (February): 29-37.
10.
Campbell, A., P. Converse , and W. Rodgers1976The Quality of American LifeNew York: Russell Sage.
11.
Cherhn, A.1979"Work life and marital dissolution," pp. 151-166 in C. Levinger and O. C. Moles (eds.) Divorce and Separation: Context, Causes and Consequences.New York: Basic Books.
12.
Cuber, P. and J. Haroff1965Sex and the Significant AmericansNew York: Viking.
13.
England, P.forthcoming "Assessing trends in occupational sex-segregation, 1900-1976," in I. Berg (ed.) Sociological Perspectives on Labor Markets.New York: Academic.
14.
Ferree, M.1976"Working class jobs: housework and paid work as sources of satisfaction."Social Problems23 (April): 431-441.
15.
Glenn, N. D. and C. N. Weaver1978"A multivariate, multisurvey study of marital happiness."J. of Marriage and the Family40 (May): 269-282.
16.
Glick, P. C. and A. J. Norton1977"Marrying, divorcing, and living together in the U.S. today."Population Reference Bureau32 (October): 3-38.
17.
Gover, D. A.1963"Socio-economic differentials in the relationship between marital adjustment and wife's employment status."Marriage and Family Living25 (November) : 452-456.
18.
Gurin, G., J. Veroff, and S. Feld1960How Americans View Their Mental HealthNew York: Basic Books.
19.
Hicks, M. W. and M. Platt1970"Marital happiness and stability: a review of the research in the sixties."J. of Marriage and the Family32 (November): 553-574.
20.
Homans, G. C.1961Social Behavior: Its Elementary FormsLondon: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
21.
Jorgensen, S. R.1979"Socioeconomic rewards and perceived marital quality: a re-examination."J. of Marriage and the Family41 (November): 825-835.
22.
Lazarsfeld, P. F. and R. K. Merton1954"Friendship as a social process," pp. 18-67 in M. Berger et al. (eds.) Freedom and Control in Modern Society . New York: Litton.
23.
Levinger, C.1965"Marital cohesiveness and dissolution: an integrative review."J. of Marriage and the Family27 (February): 19-28.
24.
Meissner, M., E. Humphreys , S. Meis, and W. Scheu1975"No exit for wives: sexual division of labor and the accumulation of household demands."Canadian Rev. of Sociology and Anthropology12: 424-439.
25.
Michel, A.1970"Wife's satisfaction with husband's understanding in Parisian urban families."J. of Marriage and the Family32 (August): 351-360.
26.
Miller, B. C.1976"A multivanate developmental model of marital satisfaction."J. of Marriage and the Family38 (November): 643-657.
27.
Navran, L.1967"Commumcation and adjustment in marriage."Family Process6 (September) : 173-184.
28.
Nye, F. I.1974"Emerging and declining family roles."J. of Marriage and the Family36 (May): 238-245.
29.
1961"Maternal employment and marital interaction: some contingent conditions."Social Forces40 (December): 113-119.
30.
Oppenheimer, V.1977"The sociology of women's economic role in the family."Amer. Soc. Rev.42 (June): 387-406.
31.
Orden, S. R. and N. M. Bradburn1968"Working wives and marriage happiness."Amer. J. of Sociology74 (January) : 715-731.
32.
Parsons, T.1955"The American family: its relations to personality and to the social structure," pp. 3-33 in T. Parsons and R. F. Bales (eds.) Family, Socialization and Interaction Process.New York: Macmillan.
33.
1949"The social structure of the family," pp. 173-201 in R. Anshen (ed.) The Family: Its Function and Destiny.New York: Harper & Row.
34.
1942"Age and sex in the social structure of the United States."Amer. Soc. Rev.7 (October): 604-616.
35.
Pleck, J.1979"Men's family work: three perspectives and some new data."Family Coordinator28 (October): 481-488.
36.
Rallings, E. M. and F. I. Nye1979"Wife-mother employment, family and society," pp. 203-226 in W. R. Burr et al. (eds.) Contemporary Theories about the Family: Research Based Theories. Volume 1. New York: Macmillan.
37.
Renne, K. S.1970"Correlates of dissatisfaction in marriage."J. of Marriage and the Family32 (February): 54-67.
38.
Robinson, J.1977How Americans Use Their TimeNew York: Praeger .
39.
Rollins, B. C. and K. L. Cannon1974"Marital satisfaction over the family life cycle: a re-evaluation."J. of Marriage and the Family36 (May): 271-282.
40.
Rolfins, B. C. and H. Feldman1970"Marital satisfaction over the family life cycle."J. of Marriage and the Family32 (February): 20-28.
41.
Ross, H. and I. V. Sawhill1975Time of TransitionWashington, DC: Urban Institute.
1970Opportunity and the FamilyNew York: Macmillan.
44.
Schram, R. W.1979"Marital satisfaction over the family life cycle: a critique and proposal."J. of Marriage and the Family41 (February): 7-12.
45.
Simpson, I. H. and E. Mutranforthcoming "Women's social consciousness; sex or worker identity," in R. L. Simpson and I. H. Simpson (eds.) Research on the Sociology of Work. Volume I. Greenwich, CT: Jai.
46.
Snyder, D. K.1979"Multidimensional assessment of mantal satisfaction."J. of Marriage and the Family41 (November): 813-823.
47.
Spenner, K. I.1977"From generation to generation: the transmission of occupation." Ph.D. dissertation, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
48.
Temme, L. V.1975Occupations: Meanings and MeasuresWashington, DC: Bureau of Social Science Research.
49.
Terman, L. M.1938Psychological Factors in Marital HappinessNew York: McGraw-Hill.
50.
Walker, K.1970"Time spent by husbands in household work."Family Economic Rev.2 (June): 8-11.
51.
Wright, J. D.1978"Are working women really more satisfied? Evidence from several national surveys."J. of Marriage and the Family40 (May): 301-313.
52.
Young, M. and P. Willmott1972The Symmetrical FamilyLondon: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
