Journal Article

Outsourcing the Gender Factory: Living Arrangements and Service Expenditures on Female and Male Tasks

Treas, Judith K., Cohen, Philip N., de Ruijter, Esther

2005

Overview

Using data from the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey 1998, this study analyzes how much money different types of households spend for domestic services on \"female\" and \"male\" tasks. We test alternative hypotheses based on economic and sociological theories of gender differentiation. Contrary to arguments that marriage lowers the risk to one partner of specializing in housework, we find no differences in service expenditures between cohabiting and married couples. Consistent with gender production arguments that the household context shapes behavior, single women outspend couples across the board. Single men, however, reveal spending behavior more consistent with gender socialization. Comparing single men and single women points to the gendered nature of the tasks as an important aspect of domestic service expenditures.

• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press,University of North Carolina Press,Oxford University Press
• Subject: Analysis / Cohabitation / Consumer Economics / Consumer spending / Consumerism / Couples / Economic analysis / Economic aspects / Expenditures / Females / Forecasts and trends / Gender / Gender Differences / Gender identity / General studies / Homes / Households / Housekeeping / Housework / Living arrangements / Males / Marital Status / Market trend/market analysis / Men / Outsourcing / Regression analysis / Services / Sex discrimination / Sex Role / Sexual Division of Labor / Single status / Single women / Social organization. Social system. Social structure / Socialization / Socioeconomic status / Sociology / Surveys / U.S.A / Women's work