Gender Role Attitude Malleability in the Context of Divorce and Remarriage: A Longitudinal Growth Curve Perspective

Abstract

Suggestions from structural symbolic interactionism are that gender role attitudes are malleable-able to change and be redefined over the course of adult development-at the individual-level, particularly in relation to significant experiences. Using longitudinal growth modeling, this study examined how divorce and remarriage affect gender role attitude growth across a 20-year period (N = 1731). Remaining in a first marriage was related to a slight, but significant decline in traditional attitudes. Divorce was associated with a slight acceleration in the decline in traditional attitudes, while remarriage was associated with a slower rate of decline in traditional attitudes. As such, transitions out of the institution and roles of marriage were related to more egalitarian attitudes, but transitions into remarriage were associated with attitudinal shifts similar to those in first marriage. Evidence is also presented related to the possibility that attitudinal shifts toward more egalitarian may precipitate divorce for some. Implications for theoretical refinement are given.

Consumption to compensate for the feeling of “loss of ownership of self” Women’s journeys through the liminal transitions of marriage

“…When women are employed, it sometimes indicates that their income is meant to support the family while men's income is intended for them alone (Zelizer, 1994). As a result, women may be empowered in terms of employment outside (Jacobson & Wadley, 1977), (Murstein & Beck, 1972), (Raymo, Musick, et al, 2015); (Watling & Armstrong, 2015); Ghoshal & Belk, 2019); Säävälä (2010); Thapan (2004), (Patel, 2020) Caplan (1985, Liddle and Joshi (1986), Belliappa (2013), Robinson (2014 Types of marriage, cross cultural marriage plots, rituals and customs from advertising perspective, religion, caste and subculture, ethnicity and demographic studies, (Ghoshal et al, 2017); Brosius (2012), Poonam (2018), Ganguly-Scrase, 2003, Purkayastha et al (2003 Liminal period *The current Study* Couple decision making, spousal dynamics in purchase, family decision making, household decision making, kinship and marriage (for e.g., Lucier-Greer et al, 2016) After Leisure studies, autonomous consumption, motherhood, retirement, divorce and separation, widowhood, coping and life, (Yap andKapitan, 2017, Hopkins et al, 2006) liminal transition (Noble & Walker, 1997) Life course perspectives, group decision making in family and household, childbirth decisions in families, motherhood, death, widowhood, menopausal studies of women, pregnancy and body image after childbirth. e.g., (Mathur et al, 2008) Social norms and consumption rituals addressing motherhood, pregnancy and death.…”

Facets of Gender Stereotypes Change: A Systematic Literature Review

“…When reviewing those definitions, it was understood that some definitions have limited peoples' attitude changes only towards certain aspects. Such aspects include men's and women's roles in the division of paid labor, homework, childcare etc., (Lucier-Greer & Adler-Baeder, 2016;Walter, 2018). As we know, for a universally accepted definition, we cannot limit the roles of men and women to certain aspects since those aspects and the levels played by men and women may be varied from culture to culture.…”

Gender Stereotypes Changes and Changing Gender Role Behaviors: A Theoretical Perspective

“…Researchers have defined it as an equal share of gender roles between men and women (Boehnke, 2011;Marshall, 2005). Such an equal share of gender roles is termed gender role egalitarianism (Boehnke, 2011;Lucier-Greer & Adler-Baeder, 2016;Spence & Hahn, 2016) or androgynous stereotypes (Wienclaw, 2011;Yu et al, 2020). The equal share of gender roles is mainly limited to specific gender roles such as financial or division of paid labor (Lucier-Greer & Adler-Baeder, 2016), childcare, and household responsibilities in the literature (Marshall, 2005;Walter, 2018).…”