Paid and Unpaid Work Time Patterning among Middle-Class Dual-Earner Couples

Yun-Suk Lee, Cornell University
Phyllis Moen, Cornell University

Estimating latent class models of members of 947 middle-class dual-earner couples from the Ecology of Careers Study, we find identifiable and distinctive structures of time put into paid and unpaid work – employment, housework, child-care, and care of infirm family member – for husbands and wives. Spouses' time patterning are independent from one another. However, husbands¡¯ time use patterning predicts wives¡¯ subsequent structure of time use two years later. But the reverse is not the case. The most important predictor of time use life stage in the cross-section as well as in changes over time, especially for wives. In addition, spouses¡¯ gender ideology, annual incomes, and occupations are important in time use patterning.