Chapter 4 - Contemporary Two Parent Families

The expectation that women will handle most of the housework, child care, and care of older adults, in addition to their paid work, leading to a disproportionate burden.

A time squeeze caused by long work hours, leading to stress for individuals and families.

Shifting towards equality in work and family roles, increasing the desire of both partners in heterosexual relationships to share responsibilities.

Cultural factors that prevent men from taking on more equitable roles in work and family life.

A situation where couples struggle to find a healthy balance between their work commitments and their family responsibilities.

Having partners share the responsibility for childcare and housework in a more equal way, especially common in gay male couples.

An increase in work hours for certain professions like management, technology, and professional roles.

The expectation that employees should prioritize work above all else, even at the expense of personal and family well-being.

The belief that the burden of work-life imbalances falls on individuals, rather than on systemic issues like inflexible work policies.

A vicious cycle where excessive work leads to neglect of family life, which in turn leads to more work to escape problems at home.

The practice of working while on vacation, often due to pressure or lack of leave options.

The practice of using vacation time for non-leisure purposes, like catching up on family tasks or dealing with health issues.

The United States is the only industrialized nation without legal guarantees for paid vacation time.

Work schedules where one partner works a night shift, often due to financial constraints and impacting family time.

The negative impact of work pressures on family relationships, including stress, absenteeism, and conflict.

Access to flexible work arrangements, paid leave, and vacation time, all of which can reduce work-family stress.

When partners work different shifts (e.g., one works days, the other nights) it can lead to less couple time and increase marital problems, including depression and arguments.

When one partner works long hours and is constantly connected to work (e.g., emails, calls) due to technology, it can blur the line between work and home life.

Even small differences in parents' work schedules, combined with kids' daily schedules, can make it hard for couples to find time together.

Couples can work together to handle different aspects of their children's routines, like one parent handling mornings and the other evenings, when their work schedules allow it.

The way partners manage their work schedules, both with each other and with their children's schedules, is crucial to understanding work-life balance in dual-earner families.

Working nonstandard hours can sometimes have positive effects on families, such as fathers being more involved when mothers work evenings.

Devices like laptops and smartphones make it possible to work from anywhere, blurring the line between work and home life.

Shift work is a type of work schedule where employees work in shifts that are longer than a standard workday, often including night hours or weekend work.

The challenges of managing work and family life are often more complex than simply working long hours. It's about finding a balance that works for everyone involved.

The idea that couples can work as a team to cover different aspects of family life, such as childcare and housework, when their work schedules allow it.

Studies show a strong link between a husband's contribution to housework and his wife's marital satisfaction. Sharing routine household tasks leads to happier relationships.

The tendency for women, despite increasing participation in the workforce, to become the primary caretakers due to societal expectations and their perceived connection to 'caring' roles.

When one parent (usually the mother) leaves the workforce to provide care for children or aging family members. This often happens due to economic factors, cultural norms, and workplace biases.

Couples who each hold flexible gender role assumptions tend to have better outcomes in their relationships, including work-life balance and family harmony.

The beliefs about appropriate male and female roles within a family often stem from broader societal values and cultural norms, influenced by family, media, and religion.

Individuals with a high sense of self-efficacy (believing they can handle demanding tasks and autonomy) benefit from controlling their job responsibilities, leading to better health. Conversely, those with low self-efficacy experience poorer health under similar circumstances.

The influence of personality traits on how individuals respond to job demands. For example, some individuals thrive with greater job autonomy, while others perform better with more structure and direction.

Considering the life stages and events that impact work-family conflict. Certain periods, like having young children or caring for an elderly relative, are inherently more stressful for families.

The capacity for couples to adapt to increased demands and maintain their well-being during stressful life phases. Successful couples may find ways to cope with demanding periods, while others may struggle with a lack of balance.

Marital quality can both result from work stress and influence how couples cope with work-related stress. Strong relationships can buffer the negative effects of work pressure, while struggling relationships may exacerbate them.

Work-family conflict can act as a mediator, explaining the link between time pressure and physical health problems. It can also be an outcome of work-related time pressure, influenced by individual factors like work-related stress.

Variables that influence the relationship between work stress, family outcomes, and individual well-being. These can be demographic characteristics (like age or gender) or other factors like social support or personality traits.

Work-related stressors that researchers examine, including job demands, work-life conflict, and lack of control over work tasks. These aspects of the work environment can contribute to stress and affect family life.

Outcomes of work-family conflict that researchers study, including marital quality, parent-child relationships, and individual well-being. These areas are affected by how individuals manage work and family responsibilities.

A combination of work-related stressors and family outcomes, with moderator variables influencing their relationship. This framework helps researchers understand the complex interplay between work and family.