Hard Choices: How Women Decide About Work, Career and Motherhood

333 Pages·1986·15.599 MB·English

by  Kathleen Gerson

HARD
CHOICES
California Series on
Social Choice and Political Economy
Edited by Brian Barry and Samuel L. Popkin
How Women Decide
HARD
about Work, Career,
CHOICES
and Motherhood
KATHLEEN GERSON
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley I Los Angeles I London
This book is a print-on-demand volume. It is manufactured
using toner in place of ink. Type and images may be less
sharp than the same material seen in traditionally printed
University of California Press editions.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum
requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992(R
1997)(Permanence of Paper)
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 1985 by
The Regents of the University of California
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Gerson, Kathleen.
Hard choices.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Women—United States—Social conditions.
2. Mothers—United States—Social conditions. 3. Women—
Employment—United States—History. 4. Mothers—Employ-
ment—United States—History. 5. Family size—United
States—History. 6. Women—United States—Psychology.
I. Title.
HQ1420.G4 1985 305.4'0973 84-8602
ISBN 0-520-05745-7
CONTENTS
List of Figures vii
List of Tables ix
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
I Women's Work and Family Decisions:
The "Subtle Revolution" in Historical Perspective 1
Changing Work and Family Patterns 3
Cohorts and Social Change 9
Alternative Paths in Adult Development 11
2 Explaining Women's Behavior:
A Theoretical Overview 23
The Structural Coercion Approach 24
The Voluntarist Approach 29
A Developmental Approach 37
3 Baselines 43
Childhood Socialization 44
Starting Points 59
Ambivalence and Change 65
V
vi / Contents
4 Veering Away from Domesticity 69
Rising Work Aspirations and Family Ambivalence 70
Conclusion 89
5 Veering Toward Domesticity 92
Declining Work Aspirations and the Home
as a Haven 93
Comparing Domestic and Nondomestic Groups 115
Stability and Change in Adulthood 117
Conclusion 121
6 Homemaking Versus Childlessness 123
The Persistence of Domestic Patterns 127
Nondomestic Responses 132
Choosing to Stay Childless 138
7 Combining Work and Motherhood 158
Reluctant Motherhood 159
Childlessness Versus Reluctant Motherhood 184
Domestic Versus Nondomestic Responses 186
8 The Changing Contours of Women's Place 191
Development, Choice, and Structured
Alternatives 191
The Limits of Socialization, Personality,
and Dominance Models 197
Work and Family Structures in Transition 204
Conclusion 212
9 The Politics of Parenthood 216
The Limits of Change and the Conflict
Among Women 216
Gender Equality, Social Policy, and the
Role of the State 224
Appendix A Tables 233
Appendix B Methodology 240
Appendix C Sample Characteristics 248
Appendix D Interview Schedule 257
Bibliography 287
Index 303
LIST OF FIGURES
1 Comparisons Between the U.S. Birthrate and the
Female Labor Force Participation Rate, 1890-1980 6
2 Alternative Adult Pathways 22
3 Alternative Adult Pathways and Future Plans 125
4 Rates of First Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
for U.S. Women: 1921-1977 206
5 Real Disposable Income for Workers with Three
Dependents, 1947-1979 (in Constant Dollars) 208
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LIST OF TABLES
1 Mother's Attitude Toward Working When Her
Children Were Young by Mother's Work Experience 46
2 Percent Domestic by Mother's Work Pattern 46
3 Percent Domestic by Mother's Fertility Behavior 47
4 Percent Domestic by Parental Expectations 55
5 Percent Currently Domestic by Baseline Orientation
and Educational Level 67
6 Occupation by Education 81
7 Adult Pathway by Frequency of Triggering Events
for Initially Domestic Respondents 118
8 Adult Pathway by Frequency of Triggering Events
for Initially Nondomestic Respondents 119
Appendix A: Tables
A.I Female Labor Force Participation Rates by Marital
Status, Children in the Household, Age, and Percent
of Full-Time Workers, 1950-1980 233
IX