SOCIOLOGICAL VARIABLES, PERSONALITY TRAITS, AND BUYING ATTITUDES RELATED TO ROLE PERCEPTIONS AND CONFLICTS AMONG 242 MICHIGAN tflVES By Howard E. Trier AN ABSTRACT Submitted to the School for Advanced Graduate Studies of Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department, of Psychology 19.59 Approved Howard E> Trier The overall purpose of the study was to clarify the factors affecting food purchases of wives, and to examine their general and specific roles and role conflicts. Demographic and psychological correlates linking roles, conflicts, and buying attitudes were also explored. Two hundred and forty-two Michigan wives were interviewed. They were drawn from 1200 who had been previously studied in a food purchase survey. A food purchase decision making scale, a personality inventory, and a role and self scale were administered to each wife in individual sessions which averaged two hours. The decision making instrument was factor analyzed to measure the strength of various influences in making food purchase decisions. Ranked according to the degree of influence the factors were: Cost of Food, Friends (indirectly and Directly), Parents, Food Preparation Time, Husband (Directly and Indirectly), Food Value, Food Quality, and Mass Media. Amplification of the norms and validity of the eight traits employed from the H.C.S. Inventory showed that in comparison with a male college population, wives scored lower on Dominance, Self Confidence, and Gregariousness and hijior on Conformity, Organization, and Warmth. An analysis of the role and self instruments indicated that role and self perceptions of wives differ. A conflict score was obtained by counting those items which wives perceived as being important to the role of the wife, but which they did not see themselves performing. The average wife in her role perceptions emphasizes child rearing and family centeredness. and purchasing. deficiencies. she should be. She ignores outside socializing, employment, Conflicts are primarily in the area of personal trait She is not as calm, efficient, or bright as she thinks Howard E, Trier 2 Relationships were found linking role perceptions and conflicts with demographic differences and personality traits, Role perceptions of wives were related to their position within a normal family cycle. Tims, the young wife is interested in cooking, housekeeping, and child raising, the midc.le aged wife in being a companion to her mate and monetary budgeting, and the older wife in cooking and maintaining an orderly peaceful home. Personality traits were related to role perceptions and conflicts. For instance, dominating wives stress socializing, progressiveness, and helping the husband while wives with lower emotional control emphasize child raising and disciplining. demographic variables. Personality traits were also related to The greater the education and income, the greater the dominance. Food purchase decisions were related to demographic variables and to personality traits. The cost of food factor, which accounted for the greatest amount of variance was related, however, only to the wife's role perception. The greater the influence of cost, the greater the perceptual focus on traditional housekeeping duties; cleaning, cooking, etc. The less the influence of cost, the more developmental the role perceptions; husband companionship, socializing, etc. The total number of conflicts of a wife was not related to demographic differences. Neither were midole class wives found to have more conflicts than lower class ones. to personality traits. But role conflicts were related VkLves with greater role conflicts were more pessimistic, more emotional, more disorganized, and less self confident. SOCIOLOGICAL VARIABLES, PERSONALITY TRAITS, AND BUYING ATTITUDES RELATED TO ROLE PERCEPTIONS AND CONFLICTS AMONG 242 MICHIGAN WIVES By Howard E. Trier A THESIS Submitted to the School for Advanced Graduate Studies of Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of P sychology 1959 ProQuest Number: 10008652 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest. ProQuest 10008652 Published by ProQuest LLC (2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 I wish to express ray thanks to the following pern-ms for their encouragement and aid in 'fne execution of the research: Dr. Henry C. Smith for his advice and guidance; Dr. James D. Shaffer fdr provid­ ing the facilities which made the study possible; and my wife, Joyce, for her invaluable patience, H.E.T. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF T A B L E S ............................. i INTRODUCTION ..................................................... Definitions of Role, Self, and Conflict Historical Development of the Wife's Role Empirical Research on the Wife's Role The Wife's Economic Role . THE PitOBLEK . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . 6 . 10 . . 14 . . . . . . . 15 . . . . 10 . . 20 . 25 M E T H O D .................................. IS subjects . . . . . The Demographic Variables Scale I: . . . . . The Decision Making Scale Factor Analysis of Scale I . . . . . . . . . . • Relation of Demographic Variables to Decision Making Factors . . . . . . Scale II: Personality Scales . . . Demographic Correlates of Traits . . . Buying Attitude Correlates of Traits Scale III: Scale IV: Role Inventory (Appendix B) . Procedure . Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . 29 . . 32 . . . . 3 6 . . . . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . 13 13 13 . RiibUL 1o General Role, Self, and Conflicts of the Wife 10 . . . . . . Role Inventory (Appendix B) Measurement of . , 2 6 IV . . . 17 Page The Role of the Wife 48 The Self Concepts of the Wife . 51 The Conflicts of the Wife 54 . Demographic Differences Related to Role, Self Conflict Items . . . . . and 57 The Problem of Chance Differences 58 Size of Family . 60 Type of Family . 61 Age of Wife 70 Education of the Wife 70 Who Works in the Family 73 Occupation of Husband 73 Income of Family 78 Percent of Income Spent for Food 80 Trait Differences Related to Role, Self, and Conflict Items 82 Dominance . Conformity 82 . . 84 Emotional Control 84 Optimism 87 ♦ Self Confidence 87 Organization 90 Oregariousness . 90 Warmth . . • 93 Buying Attitude Differences Related to Role, Conflict Items . . * Cost of Food • Friends (indirect) • . ;lf, and 93 94 Fare Friends (Direct) . . . . . . . . 9 6 Parents . . . . . . . . 9 6 . . Preparation Time . . . . . . . . 98 Husband (Direct) . . . . . . . . 95 Husband (indirect) . . . . . . . . 101 . . . . . . . 103 Food Value . . Mass Media 104 Differences Between Wives with Low and Hpgh Conflict Scores • 104 Differences in Demographic Variables Differences in Traits . . . Differences in Buying Attitudes DISCUS 3 I O N . . . . . . . . . . . 106 . 106 . 108 ....................................................... 110 SUMMAIcY AND C O N C L U S I O N S ............................... . 124 R E F E R E N C E S ....................................................... 127 APPENDICES • • • • • • • • . . . 131 Appendix A— Food Expenditure Study I questionnaire . .132 Appendix B— Food Expenditure Study II Questionnaire , . Appendix C— Items from Decision Making Scale (Scale I) Arranged According to Factors in which They Appear . . . . . . Appendix D— Abbreviations of Scale I . . . . . 138 154 158 LIST OF TABLES 1 Percentage of Subjects According to Size and Type of Family 2 Percentage of Subjects According to Education and Age 3 Percentage of Subjects According to Occupation of Husband and Which Family 1!embers Worked . 4 Percentage of Subjects According to Income and Percentage of Income Spent for Food . . . . . . . 5 Demographic Differences Between the 57 High and 57 Low Subjects on Each of the 10 Influences of Buying Attitude Factors . . . . . . . 6 Consistencies and Stabilities of the B.C.S. Personality Inventory . . . . . . . . . 7 Means, Standard Deviations and Contrasting Norms on B.C.S. Inventory for College Men (17) and Housewives . 6 Significant Demographic Differences Between the 57 High and 57 Low Subjects on Each of the 6 Personality Traits. 9 Trait Differences Between the 57 High and 57 Low Subjects on Each of the 10 Buying Attitudes . . . . 10 Percentages of Total Interviews Conducted by Six Interviewers . . . . . . . . 11 Role Perceptions of 212 Wives Ranked According to Percentage Selecting Item . . . . . . 12 Self Perceptions of 212 Wives Ranked According to Percentage Selecting Item . . . . . . 13 Conflicts Perceived by 212 'Wives Ranked According to Percentage of Occurrence . . . . . . 14 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Size of Family . . . . . . . Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Type of Family . . . . . . . i SLE 16 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Age of Wife . . . . . . . . 17 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Education of Wife . . . . . . 18 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Who Works in the Family . . . . . 19 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Occupation of Husband . . . . . . 20 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Income of Family . . . . . . . 21 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Percent of Income Spent for Food . . . . 22 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Between Wives with Low and High Dominance Scores . , , 23 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Between Wives with Low and High Conformity Scores . . 24 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Between Wives with Low and High Emotional Conti'ol Scores . 25 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Between ’Wives with Low and High Optimistic Scores 26 Significant Differences In Inventory Responses Between ’ Wives with Low and High Self Confidence Scores 27 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Between Wives with Low and High Organization Scores . . 28 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Between Wives with Low and High Gregariousness Scores . • 29 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Between Wives with Low and High ’ Warmth Scores . . , 30 Significant Differences in Inventor}' Responses Related to Low and High Scores on Cost of Food Scale 31 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Friends (Indirect) Scale 32 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Friends (Direct) Scale ii TABLE 33 34 35 36 37 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Parents Scale . . . 97 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Preparation Time Scale . Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Husband (Direct) Scale . 100 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Husband (Indirect) Scale , ?Q 101 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Food Value Scale . , 102 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Fcod Quality Scale « • 103 Significant Differences in Inventory Responses Related to Low and High Scores on the Lass Media Scale , . 105 40 Nunberof Derived Conflicts Revealed by 212 Wives . . 10b 41 Mean Trait Scores of Wives with Low and with High Role Conflicts « • « • • • • • • 107 Buying Attitude Scores of Wives with Low and High Role Conflicts • « • » • • • • » 109 3& 39 42 43 Summary of Significant Differences iii * . . • * 115 INTRODUCTION In a survey by Fortune magazine the following question was asked of a representative cross section of American women, 11If you were born again, what sex would you want to be?M (43) The often quotea results showed that 25 percent of the sample replied, "A man." At the same time that women are thus expressing themselves, their importance within this culture both economically and socially is unquestioned. Women within our society possess a great deal of the nation's wealth (15). They are responsible for making approximately 70 percent of the food purchases within the family. They are charged most intimately with the family life, with its stability, with its tone, and with its temper. And yet, it is noted by numerous authors and typified by Margaret Mead (27), as she discussed the woman's reaction to the home, that the wife frequently describes herself as "just keeping a home", "just staying home", or even, "not doing anything". The latter response, Mead intimated, was especially true of those who were better educated. The housewife, who labors ceaselessly within the home finds it difficult to see tangible results from her efforts of cleaning, cooking, canning, tidying, etc. A notable trend has been away from the wife as a producer to that of an organizer or an integrator of consumption, and such a role has virtually no standards for adequate social judgment, The wife has thus somehow been robbed in the public opinion of dignity, and while historically freedom of choice has grown in the realms of economics, politics, and occupations, the only group to whom virtually no choice is given is that of the married woman* 2 Landis (25) states that those women who devote themselves exclusively to the home and family often do so with varying degrees of unwilling­ ness and may think of themselves as being forced to accept an inferior role. Mudd (31 ) has further amplified the situation of the modern woman: "Modern woman finds herself tossed hither and yon by the pressures of her world, her parents, her job, her husband, her children, her social milieu.... Some women try every type of compromise, others exhibit every type of protest. Some ask for too little, denying their creativity, others demand too much, overasserting their frustrations.... Modern women are faced with the problem of making a choice of roles. Their course is not laid out for them as it formerly was." The problem inherent in the wife's choice of role within the household with its particular conflicts and its psychological and economic correlates is the area of concern of the study. The problem is significant and meaningful to most of the wives in the study* The role approach may also add much to our understanding of personality, Newcomb (34), for instance, has emphasized the importance of further study of role behaviors as a mode of understanding individual and group personality. Definitions of Role. Self, and Conflict Coutu (7) has defined role as, "A socially prescribed way of behaving in particular situations for any person occupying a given social position or status. A role represents what a person is supposed to do in a given situation by virtue of the social position he holds." Every role involves a whole system of behaviors which are more or less expected and enforced by various groups. 3 Mowrer says (30), "Role refers to that pattern or coordination of attitudes and habits through which the individual secures and maintains status in a particular group. Since an individual belongs to many groups, in each of which he plays a different role, his personality is made up of multiple elements,” While Parsons (39) refers to role as simply normative behavior patterns in society, Linton (26) defines it as the dynamic aspect of status in relation to rights and duties, Sargent (46) defines role as, f,A pattern or type of social behavior which seems situationally appropriate to him in terms of the demands and expectations of those in his group,” Sargent also presents an interpretation of role expectations, which might be defined as the "ought to do" part of the concept. He suggests that such expectations are a product not only of the culture but of the individual’s personal needs and situation. Sarbin (45) discusses role expectations under two headings; rights, and obligations. As stated by Sarbin, "A person cannot enact a role for which he lacks the necessary role expectations," He, like Argyle (l), further defines roles as behaviors, or actions which are similar to other people’s in a similar position, where position refers to a category, such as age, sex, etc, A role must be linked, therefore, to the position and not to the person temporarily occupying it, Frank (10) concurs with Sarbin. A role, he says, involves relating oneself to others and can only be accepted and utilized in so far as others recognize and respond to it. Cottrell (6 ) differentiates between what some call role perceptions (l) and what he calls role expectations and role behavior, While role expectations represent the "ought to do," the role behavior represents 4 the "does" behavior. and. unique roles. He further dichotomizes the concept into cultural While the former constitutes the culturally expected behavior, the latter includes the particular system of responses that are specific to the individual. Warren (55) includes a three way classification. He visualizes role with a cultural component, a personal component, and a situational component. Within the confines of this study the interrelated social definitions of role were employed with an emphasis upon what Cottrell calls the role expectations versus the role behavior. Role behavior, as defined by Cottrell, is analogous in many respects to what is referred to as the self concept. The Self The self concept, as such, was probably first formally stated, in the present generation, by Raimy in 1943 (40). Before 1900 social psychologists began emphasizing the concept of the self as a basic element in the development of personality. Raimy and the phenomenole­ gists (2 , 6, 42, 49) interrelated the behavior of the individual to his perception of the surrounding field, rather than his mere presence in it. As Snygg and Combs (50) have said, "What a person does and how he behaves is determined by the concept he has of himself and his abilities. It gives continuity and consistency to his behavior. It is the only frame of reference which the individual possesses." The self concept may, of course, have little or no relation to external reality. 5 Role Conflicts A primary study for psychologists, Rogers suggests (42), is the person and his world as viewed by the person himself. Rogers, further­ more, has postulated the relation of conflict to the self perceptions# When all the subject's perceptions of himself in relation to others are accepted into his organized conscious concept of the 3elf, then such an achievement is accompanied by feelings of comfort and freedom from tension, which is experienced as psychological adjustment. Stated in another way it might be proposed that maladjustment exists when the organized concept of self is unavailable to conscious awareness or is not in accord with the perceptions actually experienced. Adjustment need not be dependent upon external reality, then, but may be an internal affair. Personality, for Murphy (32), is to a considerable degree a matter of role behavior; even more, however, he sees it as a matter of role perceptions and self perceptions in the light of these roles. Toby (53) states that role conflicts are a result of competing obligations and might be examined as either true or false conflicts. A true conflict would encompass a situation where the claims of two groups were situationally defined, whereas false conflict is a result of two institutional goals which (although existing) might have been avoided by a skillful person. Thus conflict may be the result of a discrepancy between desired self and perceived self, as a result of competing obligations socially and culturally, and as a result of ambiguity of role expectations (45)* 6 The reader should be aware that while role conflict often refers to the incompatibility of mutually existing roles (14, 51), this definition is not the one employed within the present study. Role conflict here refers to incompatibility between desired and perceived roles. Historical Development of the Wife's Role Today, it is possible for some women to pattern their own marriages after their mothers', but a far greater number do not. In addition to maintaining a clean attractive home, preparing appetizing meals, and caring for children, the modern mother may be expected, to serve as a recreational and intellectual companion to her husband. Add to this the roles created by being gainfully employed, and the present complexity of the woman's role emerges. The family in the West has always been organized along patriarchal lines. As far back as the days of Athenian culture, the woman was under the domination of the male. In early modern times this tendency shifted and women became partners in industry performed in the home. Along with these tasks, the traditional ones of child raising and housework also existed. However, the industrial revolution altered conditions and women's productive opportunity, in the economic sense, was reduced. Even the healing and teaching arts tended to be removed from her grasp. By the l&th Century the deterioration of the woman's status was complete. The idea of feminine charm then included a passive docility and clinging dependence on men. Within the 19th Century women became more concerned with their rights and responsibilities, During the same period housework became easier as a result of many labor saving devices, 7 and fewer children were being born. Schools further aided in the task of raising and educating the children. The roles of women throughout this transformation, which apparently resulted from a dependency on the general social setting, were slow to change, with opposition being exerted both by males and females. Because of the equalizing effects of adversity, any changes have always been less conspicuous at the lower than the upper extremes of society. The poor women have had to share work and hardships with the men in all eras. Because of such a mul­ titude of factors, women's roles are less clear and less well defined than those of men (26, Uk, 49 ). Fifty years ago the average middle class woman expected to be a wife and housekeeper and regarded having to make her own living as a calamity. Today, however, women of the same class normally look forward to holding a position of some sort in the interim between school and marriage, and are so trained. Havighurst (16) has contrasted the possible roles of women in the Nineteenth Century with the possible roles today. The possible Nineteenth Century roles were: The Princess— lived to be worshipped and waited on. Dressed in flowing white garments and sat with book in hand. The Beast of Burden— “drew and carried water, washed mountains of dirty clothes, scrubbed floors, slaved over a hot kitchen stove, milked cows. The Fragile Flower— in contrast to the beast of burden was from higher social circTies, a person physically weak, could not stand hard work. Couldn't face reality or unpleasant sights and smells, couldn't cope with quarreling or excitement,, Mark of role was smelling salts, Fainted in difficult situations. The Mother— big hearted* ample bosomed, raising a brood of children with always another on the way. caring for the children. Her greatest activity involved the If fortunate she lived into old age as a loved and respected mother and grandmother. The No-Sex— *sex was an unpleasant thing which was necessary for the continuation of the species, but was really sinful, or at best a lot of bother. The All-Sex— disrespectable role, led men astray, and glowed in her wickedness. Lost soul. Decent women had nothing to do with her. She was a necessary evil to protect the majority of pure women. The Spinster— one who would never marry or have children. Did much of the world*s work, spun, sewed, looked after other people’s children. Kept house for aging mother and father or attached herself to the household of a married sister or brother. The Blue Stocking-— assumed a m an’s role. Associated almost entirely with nen, lived by her intellect, as a writer, in business, etc. The Twentieth Century role of women includes the following: The Home Manager— housekeeping is a science and an art. and labor saving devices are employed. furniture and interior decorating. Modern efficiency Interested in modern Does most of her own housework. She is negatively directed, clean up dirt, wash clothes (get dirt out), picks up, and puts away. Marketing may be a game or a challenge. The Career Woman— becoming a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc. The Factory Worker— although operating a machine in a factory is hard work, it is regarded by most women a3 better than the drudgery of domestic service. From 1900 to 1952 ti labor force jumped frrm IB to percent of woir.en in the percent. 9 The Bachelor Girl— usually employed in business. She dresses s:iiar'ly, and travels frequently. Trie bother— has fewer children through controlling the number she has. The Club Woman— interested in social service, prestige, and political activity. The roles of the Twentieth Century women, Havighurst indicates, typically undergo some changes after the age of 45. The worker and club and association membership roles increase while the mother role declines. As a homemaker, there is more money available and her energies may be channeled into interior decorating and increasing the pleasantness of the hone. As a wife she becomes more of an equal partner with her husband, spending more time with him. She makes fewer new friends and becomes a grandmother. Other writers have described the possible roles for women in somewhat different terms. roles are open to women: Mudd (31) for example suggests the following a. marriage, motherhood, and identifications with the creative activities of men, b. sublimation of instinctual biological drives in creative work, and c. a combination of the above, e.g. raise a family and also have a career, Nottingham (35) allows for post World War II women four role possibilities: a, family member, b, sexual partner, c. members of vocational groups, and d. members of the community and political organizations. Parsons (39) allows for several adult feminine roles: a. simple domesticity which includes the mother, wife and housewife component, b. full-fledged career or job component, c. glamour girl, and d. good companion. While the glamour role undergoes change with time, the good companion, culture bearer or humanitarian role, Parsons feels, offers 10 the greatest possibilities for able, intelligent, and emotionally mature women. The traditional wife and mother role is the first of three roles for women discussed by Kirkpatrick (22). It allows privileges of security, respect, domestic authority, economic support, and loyalty on the part of the husband, while entailing obligations of rearing children, making a home, and rendering domestic service. The companion role encompasses sharing pleasures with the husband, receiving emotional response and providing the husband with a beautiful wife who is a ble to make advantageous social contacts for him. The final role is that of the partner who maintains primary economic independence allowing for equal authority in family finances. 7/hyte (56) considers the wife's role as a negative one* should be good at not doing things: ^he not complaining, not fussing, not engaging in controversial activity, etc. She is the keeper of the retreat,who rests and rejuvenates her man for his next day's battle. Other aspects of the wife's role have included such listings as: nutritionist, child psychologist, engineer, production manager, expert buyer, housekeeper, household manager, purveyor, and just plain cook (2A, 28). Empirical Research on the Wife's Role Motz (29) constructed a Role Conception Inventory to reflect the cultural patterns and permit qualitative and configural analysis, administered it to 674 female students at Indiana University, roles emerged from the study: and the companionship roles, She Two the traditional husband-wife definition ^oth showed six areas of behavior: II a. housework, b. employment, c. financial support, d. care of children, e. participation in community activities, and f. schooling, Komarovsky (23) employed autobiographical documents written by undergraduate women. emerged. From her analysis of the material two roles also One she identifies as the feminine role in which the woman was not as dominant nor as aggressive as the man, but was more emotional and sympathetic. Other characteristics of the feminine role included being a good sport, glamour girl, a young lady, and a home girl, 'Aie second emerging pattern she identified as the modern role, Duvall (0) asked her subjects to list five things a good mother does. From her analysis she separated her responses into two categories and identified them as the traditional (rigid) and developmental (flexible) roles. The traditional mother1s role stressed homemaking, training children, taking physical care of the children, disciplining, etc. The developmental role stressed the development of self-reliance, the emotional growth of the child, and the emotional maturing of the parent herself, Duvall*s results indicated that the lower economic parents were more traditional in their child rearing approach while the upper class were more developmentally orientated. Rose (44) has supplied information on the realism of role expecta­ tions of adult and pre-adult females. She administered 1$ questions pertaining to expectations of roles to 2$6 subjects. The results strongly indicated the lack of specificity and absence of definiteness concerning female adult roles. Women apparently were unrealistic about expected age of marriage, number of children, and future economic strength. It was also suggested that the more economically secure women would spend more time in household chores than would poorer 12 women* Women generally seem to plan to do a great many more things than their actual time will ever permit* Hose asks, "If not realistically planning her role, how can she be adequately trained for it?" Personality and Role Conflicts Getzels and Guba (11; studied the relationship between male roles and personality within a real life setting. Working with adult male Air Force personnel, they postulated a relationship between the reaction to role conflict and the personality of the role incumbent. Role conflict here occurred when the expectations between roles inhabited were inconsistent, contradictory or mutually exclusive— conformity to one expectation necessarily resulted in nonconformity to another. Interviews were used with the subjects and statements made were appropriately sorted according to previously established criteria. A 46 item scale was thus constructed and weighted on a six point b^sis. Scores were related to personality measures on the Guilford Fartin Inventory of Factors, the Patriotism subsection of the California E and F scale, and the Rosenzweig P-F. instructors served as subjects. Two hundred and four officer Results: those subjects less adversely affected by role conflicts obtained significantly better personality scores than those with more role conflicts. The highly conflicted were less masculine, more beset with inferiority feelings and nerv­ ousness, more socially and mentally introverted, and more depressed and cycloid. In another study of conflict, Ort (3P) worked with 100 boys equally divided between lower and middle class homes. To secure conflict scores, Ort employed questions designed to measure the sub- 13 jects1 feelings on certain aspects of roles for all boys his age and then again concerning his own private feelings. cated a conflict. was a plus .78. A discrepancy indi­ The correlation between conflict and class level The possibijity of positive transference of these findings to adult, married women raises some pertinent questions. In a related study of marriage happiness and role conflict Grt (37) hypothesized that the amount of happiness in marriage depends upon or is related to the number of conflicts between role expecta­ tions and roles played by the subjects. Using an 88 item questionnaire, and 50 male students and wives as subjects, he found a correlation of -.83: the greater the number of conflicts, the lower the happi­ ness rating. Kore conflicts resulted from unrealized role expecta­ tions of the self than for unrealized role expectations which were held for the mate. A finding by Seward (48) suggests that cultural lag of roles is greater when emotional stereotypes of home and mother are involved. In areas viewed more objectively a more equalitarian attitude is tolerated. The cultural inconsistency accounts for much personal conflict associated with the feminine role. A general lack of relationship between adjustment and demographic factors was found by Terman ($2) in his marriage study of 792 midcle and upper class families. Thirty-six percent of his sample belonged to the professional class and only one percent belonged to the un­ skilled. Occupation, income, number of children, age of wife and education of wife had no significant relationship to marital happiness. On the other hand, certain personality characteristics of the unhappy wife emerged. She generally shov/ed more neurotic traits, such as being more emotional, cyclothymic, anti-social, and had more infer­ iority feelings. The amount of tension, anxiety, a.nc frustration generated in an attempt to discover and play a given role, according to several authors, measures the lack of adjustment associated with role prob­ lems (5, 44)* Cottrell says, "Ultimately it is the mechanism of an­ xiety, expectation of punishment or uncertainty which hedges in our self roles and keeps us toeing the line of expected behavior." The W i f e ^ Economic Role In an effort to bridge the gap between psychology and economics, Katona (18, 19) has been concerned with purchase decisions. He differentiates between vhat he has defined as true decisions and habitual ones. The majority of his studies have involved national economic trends, attempting to establish the psychological causations and correlate His research, together with that of Eva Mueller (20, 21), has further emphasised decision processes involved in the hard and durable goods fields. The literature is relatively barren of studies relating food purchase decision making to either personality or role perceptions. Most researchers seem to feel that most such decisions are made rational­ ly and with only small individual differences. Yet some fairiilies spend as little as ten percent and some as much as seventy percent of their income on food. In the light of such facts, an investigation of the relations between food purchases and sociological variables, traits, and role perceptions seems justified, THE PROBLEM The present study emerged from a Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station project on consumer decision making as related to the market demand for farm products.^" The general goals of the project are: to determine the process by which consumers arrive at decisions determining the allocation of income to food, to particular food groups, and to individual foods. Answers to such questions involve determining factors related to the variations in such allocation decisions between families. The problem of the present study was related to the general problem of the mother project. It was to conduct an exploratory study which would help establish factors which influence wives in their food purchase decisions. To achieve this end it was planned to examine the role and role conflicts of wives and to establish demographic or psychological factors linked to these. To fulfill this plan it was necessary to do the following tilings: (1) To develop an instrument which would establish and measure the strength of various influences upon wives in making food purchase decisions. (2) To develop instruments for measuring the role concepts and conflicts of wives. (3) To develop further norms and validity data for the trait scales selected from the H.C.S. Inventory. ^ The project is under the direction of Dr. J. D. Shaffer of the Department of Agricultural Economics. 16 Having solved these problems, it was finally planned to test the following more specific hypotheses: (1) Role perceptions, self perceptions, and role conflicts are related to both demographic variables and personality traits. The relationship between role and economic level was suggested by Duvall (8 ), Rose (44), and Ort (38). The existence of such a relation­ ship suggests that other demographic variables may also be related. Getzels and Guba (11) and Terman (52) have also indicated a relationship between personality and either roles or role conflicts, (2 ) Traits are related to demographic variables. This hypothesis is based on the assumption that personality traits are not independent of the sociological milieu in which the person exists. (3) Number of children, a^e of wife, education of wife, occupation of husband, and income of family have no relation to amount of role conflict. The suggestion for this hypothesis came from findings reported by Terman (52). He found no relationship between these variables and the amount of marriage conflict reported by wives. It is assumed that marriage conflict is quite highly related to role conflict. (4 ) Wives of the middle class have more role conflicts than do those from the lower clas 3. Findings by Ort (38) indicate that boys from middle class homes have more conflicts than those from lower class ones. If this is a sociologically determined relationship, it could be assumed that wives from middle class homes would also have more conflicts. 17 (5) The greater the amount of conflict in roles, the poorer the personality picture which will emerge. G-etzels and Guba (11) and Terman (52) found that the less the number of role conflicts, the better the personality picture of the individual. They also found the reverse to be true. Getzels and Guba's subjects, however, were male Air Force instructors. The rela­ tionship if found to exist, may help to explain an important causative agent of conflict and suggest methods for dealing with it. (6) Food purchasing decisions are related to demographic variables, personality traits, and role perceptions and conflicts. The known personal characteristics related to food purchase behavior are relatively sparse. It is hypothesized that such decisions are not independent but are related to the suggested variables, traits, or perceptions. Such a finding would tend to cast doubt ujx>n Katona's hypothesis that such decisions are not explorable because they are habitual with the patterns set by parents or friends and taken over by the consumer without deliberation (18). METHOD The general method employed consisted of individually administering a questionnaire consisting of four scales which took about two hours to complete to 242 wives from the greater Lansing area. Below are consider­ ed in turn the subjects, the demographic variables employed, the nature of each of the scales and preliminary analysis of data from them as well as the details of the procedures used in collecting the data. Subjects The original sample of 1200 homemakers were interviewed during the Spring of 1958. The sample was selected by taking every fifth address from every fifth street as listed in the address section of the Lansing City Directory. The Food Expenditure Study I Questionnaire (Appendix A) sought information on numerous demographic variables, food future purchase plans, etc. purchases, From these 1200 were selcted the 242 subjects of the present study. Dropped were those homes where there were less than two members, where there was an absence of either a female or male adult head, or where the wife had less than an eighth grade education. The sample chosen from the remaining families was selected by choosing every fourth name from a listing categorized according to income. Table 1 shows the 242 subjects classified according to the size and type of family. The larger proportion of wives are f rom homes with either one child or more. The sample appears somewhat representative. 19 Census reports of 1950 (12) indicate that women over 45 without a child consist of 19 percent of the population also. TABLE 1 PERCENTAGE OF SUBJECTS ACCORDING TO SIZE AND TYPE OF FAMILY Type of Family 2 persona Wife under 40 no children Size b Over 60 Total in Percent wives appears representative of the general population, for census data from 1950 (12) shows that 24.5 percent of the couples had wives in the labor force. Ogburn and Nimkoff (36) indicate that one-third of wives whose husbands earn under 33*000 work while one-seventh of those whose husbands earn $10,000 or more work. They further show that the working of wives is clearly related to the number and the age of children. As the number and age of children increases, the percent of wives in the labor force decreases. Table 4 shows the subjects classified according to income and percent of income spent for food. Families with higher incomes spend a smaller percent of income for food* The Demographic Variables The demographic variables shown in the tables above and of most concern here are the following and are discussed in the crier of analysis followed throughout the report. 21 TABLE 3 PERCENTAGE OF SUBJECTS ACCORDING TO OCCUPATION OF HUSBAND AND WHICH FAMILY MEMBERS WORKED Occupation No Workers Retired Husband Only Which Members Worked Wife Husband 2 'Without Total in Only and Wife Wife____Percent 2.9 • 19.3 9.0 Construction 3.7 1.6 Clerical 4.1 Factory Sales 11.0 Professional 10.3 Other White Collar Other Blue Collar Total in Percent 2.9 .4 3.3 4 1.6 1.2 29.5 5.3 1.6 7.7 11.0 1.6 2.1 14.0 6.2 1.2 7.4 14.0 6.2 1.6 22.1 4.4 60.6 2.0 21.8 100$ TABLE A PERCENTAGE OF SUBJECTS ACCORDING TO INCOME AND PERCENTAGE OF INCOME SPENT FOR FOOD Percent of Income Annual Income of Family in Thousands of Dollars Spent for Food under 2 2-4 4-5 5-7 7-10 10Total in Percent 0-10 11-15 .4 1.6 1 .6 . 3.6 .0 1.6 4« 1 8.1 2.9 17.5 16-20 .4 1.6 4.1 9.4 5.0 .4 20.9 21-25 .4 .4 5.0 5.0 3.7 .8 15.3 3.3 5.9 4.5 1.6 26-30 15.3 31-40 1.2 6.1 6.1 2.5 15.9 41-50 .4 2.9 2.5 .4 6,2 51-70 1.6 2.5 71- 1.2 Total in Percent 5.2 4.1 1.2 17.6 25.2 26,3 20,0 5.7 100# 23 The first demographic variable is concerned with the Size of the Family. Family refers to two or more persons, related by marriage to each other, who are living together. The families were broken down into those of two members (a husband and wife), three or four members, and five or more members. The next classification is derived from a sociological concern with the family cycle as typified within our culture (12). the Type of Family. It was titled There are five subgroups within this classification. The first includes those wives who are under 10 and have no children within the immediate home. The second includes those families where there are children under 10 years of age. The third, those families where the children are 10-19 years of age. The fourth, where the children are both under 10 and between 10-19 years of age. The fifth and final subgroup includes those families where the wife is over 10 and there are no children within the family. The next major classification is the Age of the Wife. There have been subgrouped under the following four self explanatory headings: under 30, from 31- 10, from 11 to 60, and over 60. The Education of the Wife has been grouped into three headings: from 9 to 11 years of schooling, from 12 to 13 years, and 11 years or more. In the selection of the sample, all wives with less than 9 years of education were excluded because of the nature of the instruments employed, The next major demographic classification was concerned with IA:at Kembers Within the Family Worked. It was subgrouped as follows: the male only, the wife only, two or more including the wife, two or more 24 not including the wife, and other than the above. The concern of the study has been primarily with the male only versus both working. The Occupation of the Husband has often served as a rough sociolo­ gical index of the socio-economic level of the family (16). so used in the study. follows: It has been The classifications originally employed were as retired, factory worker, construction worker, clerical worker, high level salesman or businessman, professional, other white collared, and other blue collared. four as follows: The above seven classes were regrouped into professional and high level sales were grouped into professional, clerical and white collar were grouped into clerical, blue collar and construction were grouped into skilled, and factory workers were considered unskilled. The Income of the Family was subgrouped originally into the following: a. 42,000 or less, b. 02,001 to 44,000, c. 44,001 to 45,400, d, 45,401 to 47,000, e. 47,001 to 410,000, and f. over 410,000. Within this study a. and b. were regrouped to give an under 44,000 class (low income); c. and d. were grouped to give a 04,001 to 47,000 class (middle income); and e. and f, were grouped to give an over 47,000 class (high income). The Percent of Income Spent for Food, which coes not appear as such in the original questionnaire, was derived from computing the average monthly amount spent against the monthly income. of from less than 15% to over 71/° was found. grouped for analysis into three major classes: and over 30%. A range They are conveniently 0 to 15%, It to 30%, 25 Scale I: The Decision Making Scale The Food Expenditure Study II questionnaire (Appendix 3) con­ sisted of nine informational questions and Scales I through IV. Scale I (Appendix B) was named the Decision Making Scale. It con­ sisted of 37 rationally derived statements pertaining to factors in­ fluencing housewives in making decisions on what and how much food to purchase. These statements were constructed following open ended interviews with a small sample of area housewives which sought to determine the important factors entering into the consumer decision making process. The statements were constructed to broadly cover eight major decision making areas influencing the housewives’ actions: Price, quality, Convenience, Information, Preplanning, Calculation, Friends, and Past Family. Ten judges were given the statements on duplicate sets of cards, being asked to sort them into the appropriate categories. this, alterations and deletions were made. Following Seven new judges were then asked to sort the statements, and those showing agreement for six judges or more were retained unaltered. ments. These consisted of 37 state­ Total category scores consisted of the sum of weighted state­ ment responses. Statements were weighted 1 to 5 in the following order: a. Aarely or almost never true. b. Sometimes but infrequently true. c. Occasionally true. d. Very ofte”* true. e. True most of the time. Therefore, if Utrue most of the time" was the response, it was given a weight of 5. 26 Factor Analysis of Scale I To further purify the categories, a factor analysis of the 37 statements was performed. The scores of the 22*2 subjects who had responded to all statements were employed. The analysis was completed on the "KISTIC" (Michigan State Integral Computer). Burt's Modified Highest Correlation Method (4) for estimating communalities was em­ ployed. In this method the absolute sum of intercorrelations for each column is determined and the columns ranked. A proportional a- mount is then either added or subtracted according to rank. Thus the median absolute sum has zero added. The Principal Component (or Principal Axes) Method devised by Hotelling (4) was used for resolving the factors into their principal components. In this method there are as many common factors as tests, but as stated by Cattell (4 ), "Such a lack of economy may scarcely seem to justify the labor of factor analyses, but we should consider the possibility (a) tint the factors may make better psychological sense than the tests; (b) that the first few factors t ken out actual­ ly account for most of the variance and in practice the rest can be neglected." The Quartimax (33) was employed. Method of orthogonal rotation of factor loadings This is an objective technique which eliminates the need for judgments on the part of the analyst and is adaptable to high speed computational devices. Appendix C presents the 10 identified factors ranked according to importance. These 10 factors account for more than 90 percent of the total variance of the origir.c al scale. volved in each factor is noted. The number of items in­ In all factor's except J an item was not selected whose factor loading was less than .14. Factor A . which accounted for 19 percent of the Variance has been titled the "Influence of the Cost of Food on Food Purchase De­ cisions". Serving as contributing measures are eight items. The major concern here is the quantity and quality of food which may be purchased at the most reasonable cost, along with the interest in and application of information and instruments to augment this approach. High score here indicates high cost consciousness. Factor 3. which accounted for 11 percent of the variance has been titled the Indirect Influence of Friends and is composed of two items. The reason for labeling this as indirect influence is ap­ parent from an examination of the two very heavily loaded items in­ volved. This factor seems to be primaril3r concerned with the subject’s awareness of what her friends like in the line of foods. High score indicates high influence of friends. Factor 0. which accounted for 10 percent of the variance, on the other hand, is also labeled as the"Influence of Friends. but in this instance it is apparently the direct influence which is involved. The two items which compose this factor reflect the subject’s willing­ ness to either be directly influenced by statements made by her friends, or ideas arising from the interpersonal association. Both of the latter two factors suggest what Riesman (4l) bias titled the "Other Directed" orientation. High score indicates high! iufluer- of friends. Factor D , which accounted for 11 percent of the variance, might suggest Riesman's (hi) "Tradition Directed". The four items in this factor have, led it to be titled the "Influence of Parents" and it re fleets the orientation of the housewife tov aid parental influences, both her own parents a n d her in-laws. parent. cl influence. high score indie tes : igh 2 c. Factor S. which accounted for 9 per-vnb of the variance, had, two items with saturations over .1. Preparation Time11 u: d refl It is titled tie "Influence, of ; the 1 ensewife’s concern with getting the food preparation completed as expeditiously as possible. A high score indicates high concern with time spent. Factor F , which also accounted for 9 percent of the variance is composed of three items and reflects the "Influence of the Hus­ band11. here again we have the li-'st of h vo factors involving the housewife’s mate. This factor appears to be the Direct Influence of the husband on food purchase decision making. Here is shown the husband's concern or lack of it in the purchasing of food, or in the meal planning situation, high score indicates husband has little in­ fluence. Factor 1 , meanwhile, whose two items accounted for 7 percent of the variance has been titled the "Indirect Influence of the husband". Here the emphasis appears to be on the husband as the business man or budgeting director in the family, who may well determine how much will ultimately be spent in the food area, but is not actually con­ cerned with the spending of this pre-set amount. High score indicates a high influence by husband. Factor II, which accounted for S percent of the variance, includes tv/o items and has been titled the "Influence of Food Value". Here is shown the concern of the housewife in purchasing food which is high in flavorfulness, healthfulness, nutrierts, etc. A high score indicates a high interest in food value. Factor I accounted for 9 percent of the variance and is cum,posed of one item. It is titled the "Influence of Food duality" and 29 reflects an interest in the quality of the product. A high score indicates a high interest in food quality. Factor J t the last factor identified, accounted for 4 percent of the variance* Three statements were scored in the factor because rationally they did seem to support the most heavily loaded item. This factor has been titled the "Influence of Mass Media" and reflects a subject's interest in technical and popular bulletins and magazines, and information derived from television or radio. A high score indicates a high interest in mass media information. Relation of Demographic Variables to Decision Making Factors After identifying the above 10 factors all subjects were scored on each of them. The population was divided into the upper and lower 27 percent and a chi square analysis was done to establish any sig­ nificant demographic differences which might exist between these extremes. Table 5 shows the significant differences found in this analysis. Factor A, Cost of Food, the most important perceived influence on food buying decisions has little relationship to any of the demographic variables. The most positive finding suggests that those wives from lower income classes are more influenced by the cost than those from the upper. But it is at the .10 level and is not supported by a breakdown on income as would be expected. The indirect influence of friends (Factor B) shows no significant relationships to any demographic variables, but direct Influence (Factor C) appears to vary according to education. At the .05 level, the higher the education the greater the direct influence by friends. to rj 30 fO\ u'\ rn ux to >H tV H H * CI CV O Q c- X T3 ^ 0> rH CV CV r*5 P c- r- ' ex to xo A C^iACK cV O-xO i— | rH CX r—I i—) CV xO • xO ex r- xcrv X CV) c- O O to I CV r 1 rH W in IA CH<^ & O' to •a a q ! c *H a 'X £x-i f • rH V\ /H Ox H CV CV I CV X DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ON EACH OF THE 10 BUYING 57 HIGH AND 57 LOW ATTITUDE FACTORS SUBJECTS XJ 0 o 3 O i —I C*-t ct) P o P XJ o to o O 1*1 o 10 a o *H O P •H eO jz: o C--H ctf P a »h HO to o m ?v «5 0 rH Q O CV ~f -1 h ex tr\ O ex a o 0 -t a a t 0 —i P a i O p ex <5 0 to a o •H p ctf < _ > a T3 P W O /H c ^ rH P 4I I -t Ox CV rH W rrt t-a 31 m -h ^ ft ’SC ctf - 0 , -P ■s 5 t3 ft o 3 O S 3 Cm <0 > as X o u-\ ca t - cn s rH -Q C N i rH (0 S3 t> - CO rH SC 'S 0 ^ 0 c0 4CO3 Q G X E-< ft R -H E-* G O -H .p UN CM O CO rltOrlfO• UA I rH UA r-fM rH CM CM X SG cn -P c OHO.^- OA CM CO ft • U~\ I G cO P- WA O CMCM i—1 C'A <—I X CO ft •H G &-i SC CD T3 G ft •H M G Cm » G 1 S rH So ~v 5 o •H ft P G ro *—t Cm cm O G V OA O o CO T? CiA CA G O >-1 I V •cP* ft? O I NO > ft e t o r i o Oh ft ft 8 *, G le v e l le v e l le v e l M rH CO rH >:< rH CM vO O CU h-i \ ‘■■-+ 19 28 89 L -6 5 .6 a 5 9 14 li 16 13 17 14 18 15 19 18 21 18 22 20 22 24 26 27 30 16,6 4.2 Upper score of each pair represent Mersey (17) norms. . “V also shown. It is apparent that the wives were considerably less dominating and less gregarious th::n Hersey's college males and were no re conforming and warmer. Demographic Correlates of Traits In order to obtain additional information bearing upon the val­ idity of the H.C.5, Inventory an analysis of the demographic corre­ lates was performed using a two-fold approach* A chi square analysis of the upper and lower 27 percent on each scale was performed to iso­ late significant demographic differences (See Table 8). An analysis of the differences in means between subgroups of the demographic class ifications was also per formed as a supplemental aid. hT.ile this latte arc lysis cast little new light on the chi square approach, in some case it added a more sensitive amplification. Looking at each trait sep­ arately, trie following generalizations appear warranted. Dominance. Scores varied slightly with the type of family, the younger wives with younger children were more dominating. The more educated (more than 14 years) were considerably more dominating; a T,t" test of the means showed a difference at the .01 level between those who had 9-11 years versus 14 years of school. The working wives were also more dominating, and wives whose husbands were white collar workers were, at the .005 level, significantly more dominating than those of blue collar workers. Consistently, the wives from families earning over 47,000 were also more dominating, as shown both in the chi square and difference between the means analysis (.005 level). Likewise, wives in families srending a smaller p e r c e n t a g e of their income for food were also m o r e dominating, a difference which Is rv O 'O LAH H O HH • C O I (V ''O O H r-^C -4- H I C O p $ X o C O H O u~\ H i— I i — I H Cto •H u CTl hO I —t ^ i ca x> g CO O E o~1 X W a -VO I cv c I *H ° C 4 -p to CO P N O H tc h to -4 H H (£> H H CV C V X 4 (0 c2 b—i o o CO O CV IA . CV H O H •rH P -p -p o c; cv to 4) H CC M 8 H H CV -4 ;/ CV CV H to O I r4 CV C- 'O C V H H C V H i— I ( X Co CV OIAO o • C V i— I i— I C O I >s -p •H rf5 n ;_} oo 4J cv C X ) vu I— I C V H tr\ OH cv E-i I u \ O- cv cv tv- -O -4 X H i— I< — I cv H X X to O V ) C-V) c\i H H i— I CV ♦ to o l-H LC VI — 1H C VH H cn C -H O -P •H 4 P, >°H co ®M P *H r(0 00 O to e ttj w *rH C O H O N r> H cv • O » O'' iV~r—i^ cv cv I C— C V Pj H •d ° Ei H O it (P P O'OH H ,C P H x> 1 P u o n O H «■> a. r-> H C V > to 4 < v-> ^ -b h V- o o ioi CV Ct - H C V i— i i— | 3S CtJ ( « o •H U c« bO 4) (6 «0 U «> C!> c X C C! *H tiO «J P M O *H X L^~ C -4 C M O• LT\ I u-cm r^\H XI 9) O cn o X3 4> I C-v£> & O -4 c*- co c CH I CO 0~\CM o~\(—IX I C"~ O- rXM CM cm ^ CT\MO M3 O O'' rH -4 UM I -4 a o X I M3 rl -4 UM O O rH O' CM • • C M rH O iH I O M3 i—KM j C\J CM i— | IQ D < E-* I S3 O O «> flj c -4 s S' oh *a l o a CO u-\ MO rH O ( C M O'- o~\ £"— X C M CO rH CO X C MC M C M C^i'vO |x| • C MC M rH rH rH » ■a O o •H O +3 *H rj X O P. -H Cfl rH *> *ri rH B «J S i C *H C O •H H ctf p. 3 3 X o O «H O O I— 1 cC C XJ o 4; *M i— I CO H TO rH CO O V rH d •H t — t •H ,'( rH PC r ) • rH cn o Jh rH PI C Oh O CO P3 rH •H c 3 Oh -4 t>H O «; [H- d 4> c * ^ —T O E O o c H -P C V o p. o CH O rH U CO XJ -p rH 1 V o c d o 1 'O d E ClH O i— 1 a o o H o u d c o Oh l-H ■H 10 level 05 level 01 level C*^ rH i i i "V probably a function of the correlation betweon income and the percent of income spent for food. Most of these results point clearly to the conclusion that upper class wives are more dominating than lower class ones. Conformity. Older wives with older children are more confoming as shown in the type of family analysis. least conforming. The least educated group was Both these conclusions were supported at the ,005 level when the means of the youngest and oldest age groups and between low and middle education groups were analyzed. The results support a "middle class" conformity hypothesis. Emotional Control. The chi square analysis shows a regular increase in emotional control with age. The means of those below 30 were sig­ nificantly lower than those above 60 at the .01 level. The fact that fewer with young children had poorer control may reflect an environmental factor. Optimism. The means of wives under 40 with no children versus those over 40 with no children suggests that the wife over 40 has a more optimistic outlook. This is supported at the .05 leve3, by a straight age analjrsis of the means of extreme groups. suggest The data also that working wives are more optimistic and that wives in the higher income group are significantly more optimistic. An analysis of means shows, at the .005 level, that those from families earning over $ 7,000 per year are more optimistic than the middle income group, with no difference being found between the upper income and lower income group. This same trend is shown on the percentage spent for food. Those spending the lowest percentage are significantly more optimistic. Again, the result is probably due to the relation with total income. 40 Self Confidence» An analysis of the means showed that wives of the middle education group were more self confident* Working wives were more self confident than their non-working sisters. Organization. Only one demographic variable was significantly related to organization scores: those over 60 were better organized than those under 30. Gregariousness * Gregariousness steadily decreased with age (.01). There is a suggestion, also, that wives with young children are more gregarious. Warmth. The means indicate (.005 level) that wives over 40 with no children are warmer than those under 40. At the same significance level the means of the middle education group were higher than those at the lower one, a conclusion supported by the chi square analysis also. Wives who do not work are warmer than wives who do. Buying Attitude Correlates of Traits An effort was made to determine the relationships between traits and buying attitudes. The extreme groups on each of the ten buying attitudes revealed by the factor analysis were compared on each of the eight personality traits. Table 9 shows those differences found to be significant. The overall results indicate that there was not much relationship between the trait measures and the buying attitudes. There were, for example, no trait differences between those wives who are highly influenced by the cost factor and those who are not. On the other hand, those who are indirectly influenced by their friends are significantly more dominant and less warn* Those directly influenced are also 41 3c s £4 CO C *> rH • CV vO $■* f i IN- O ' CO CN C H • un » rH H C OJ 5 P fd d to a I © a H x U N rH r H - 4 C V C ' » - C N - 4 OiON^OtOOtONOH # • ♦ « + • • • H H n p C'" O n - 4 0 * * P c E-* H H M Oi s X x C O * w • P *» © • C CV O • (V i a o- a VT\ x E ~> M X El < E-i o © d *H Q -P I W H I I UN • « • o • C • fl • • C H I to -4- cv n « n 9 § o~ a UN co i CV 1 I £ § T. • e • • O -rl W) C ( V H X E-* O tt) d B » O 8 w C C r l « CN nO CO C" to -- O' 4) o COVO cv tt) CV r H E~* rH © 2 rH ct) -p > OJ rH CO CO O O < f UN CN o i C \ O ' • £ > UN Vi CO - 4 «H C rH r— I :— i ri C N O ON CO - 4 OJ OJ CN v O CN CN UN O - - 4 H UN « ♦ # » * « + • rH I i —1 i—i r H I OJ t X x H J ) O r H CN vO • W • un CC O - » O' CC CO r H i —i rH d dCN C H • « • » • • • • XI O o (H i 1 X 0 H O (& H .-1 ri H 01 OtCMD O'O (NOJ OJ r-{ r—i r-i i (H I •H UN nO U \ - 4 Co c o O ' • r H CO Vi CN rH CO OJ C r H rH XJ d o CO <4 e XJ O o a tx, 1 X *8 -p M PQ a »—i Q -P •H rH -p rH W g CV O - ' C O ' H " - 4 n O CO C O 'O C V O C '- C C C V C O X o © $ sO O \0 UN w © td a rH 'H x a U1 £h • CN &> « OJ cc i—i d I g o JH r i H I - 4 CV - 4 '-O r H CV • « • H • • C MH © s CV HD C" o CNO CN vO -^oi>ajou'vHcv * • • • * • • • 8 Q I i © d tt) O ^ H «H o a - - 4 to CO CO vC O ' 'Xj TJ •p o r~ CV t ° I XJ o & UN r H 0 -0 • cm * rH e • » © ¥1 n • • • C £ £ ♦ C\ v£> » C CO O +5 © O a a © 1 2 X X -P o © H *H p Q —" O C M C O ' 4 O C \ UN ON'JO O ' « -i CC ON CN O ' OJ ? # . UN O CT' • • rH o « w * d I • © * d m• C rH r H 1 • © rH • CC CO • • d -4 X3 c a CtJ I r H nO UN > 0 CV CV C _ O CO r H H CN r H r i O • • « » • * < • I rH i— I X X © d X -4 xO UN r I ON O ' O CN r - i O r- i O - 4 ON O CO OJ I I I ri E -8 o o r~\ © P O *rj 3 C K d eg 5 o -H d *e o c © CJ d © C O XJ *H t I -P <4 N ■H ■a rt 5 - P -H cm nJ Q -P rH bO cfl p e l p. © O CO 86 p •H to £ E-< 8 p d o o © o d td C *d B o a P r-i •H 5 B S M O o -H Vh P d O o E o W e © - t q *ri 4^ H, O © © O (0 d © d © X o d •H •H yj Q> rH O rH » X p d 4 1 -r 05 level 01 level CO t I tt) •H 42 significantly more dominant. Those wives influenced by their parents are significantly less self confident. The wives who are highly influenced by preparation time are less conforming, more optimistic, less organized, and less warm than their opposites. Those wives whose buying was either directly or indirectly influenced by their husbnnds were significantly more dominant than those who we re not so influenced. Those influenced indirectly by their husbands were also more pessimistic. Wives who consider food value important were significantly more organized than those who do not. Food quality, as an influence, only shows personality differences at the .10 level; persons interested in food quality are more self confident, and less gregarious. Those wives who are more influenced by mass media are more dominant, more optimistic, better organized, and warmer than wives who are not. Scale III: Role Inventory (Appendix B) It consists of 60 items derived by apriori reasoning which des­ cribe possible aspects of a wife’s daily activities. The various items selected were a result of the facets of wives’ roles that emerged the prior open ended interviews. "rom Items included are those pertaining to personality qualities, to child raising, to socializing, to compan­ ionship roles, to traditional housekeeping functions, and to creation of various home atmospheres. All items were of a positive nature, inasmuch as subjects were forced to choose a limited number. The items were arranged in groups of ten in order to facilitate the subject’s selection. From each group of ten, prefaced by a question, the subject selected the four best describing how a homemaker should behave. The 43 inventory was completed by 242 subjects. Items were scored according to frequency of selection. Scale IV: Self Inventory (Appendix B ) This inventory consists of the same 60 items appearing in the Role Inventory. They were once again grouped into ten's, but each group had been randomly scrambled to alter the item sequence. The homemaker once again selected four of the ten items, this time selecting those which she felt most accurately described herself . completed this inventory. A total of 212 wives Items were again scored according to frequency of selection. Measurement of Conflicts In this study, "conflict" refers to the deviation between what a housewife perceives the role of a wife should be and what she per­ ceives her own situation to be. A conflict, then, was the result of a homemaker selecting a specific item on the Role Inventory and leav­ ing that item blank on the Self Inventory. There were 32 possible conflicts which might emerge for any one subject. Procedure As previously noted, the questionnaire was administered to 242 wives out of a previous sample of 12C0. Demographic and economic data collected on the Food Expenditures Study I was used in parts of the analysis of this study. The interviews were conducted by the author and five paid interviewers. All except two (D and F) were either graduate students in psychology or a senior undergraduate major. Table 10 shows the contributions of the six interviewers. uu TABLE 10 PERCENTAGES OF TOTAL INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY SIX INTERVIEWERS Interviewer A B G D E F Percent of Total 2J% 12% 12% 6% 1% The interviews were conducted in the respondents 1 homes at the respondents' convenience. Upon arriving, the subject was verified as the wife of the household previously interviewed and was informed that additional information was desired to augment that previously acquired. It was stressed that the interviewers were interested in talking more with the housewife, learning more about her, her feelings, interests, etc. The subject, following a warmup period, was then asked to respond to the initial nine informational items. The Decision Making Scale (Scale I) was introduced by these remarks: "Now what I would like you to do is to respond to some statements which describe homemakers' feelings or behavior concerning some as­ pects of food shopping. Now, not all housewives or homemakers feel that the same things are important in food buying, so we would like to find out which of these statements describe what you do, and how your family acts." The subject was then handed a three by five card on which were typed the five response categories to the Decision Mak­ ing Scale. She was asked to respond to the statements which were read by the interviewer with one of the five categories on the card, rang­ ing from (a) Rarely or almost never true, to (e) True most of the 45 time. It was felt that in this initial scale additional rapport could be established through the verbal interaction between subject and interviewer. At the completion of this scale and all the remain­ ing ones, an attempt was made to encourage the subjects by making appropriate remarks. The H.C.S. Inventory (Scale II) was introduced as follows: "We have just asked about your food buying habits and have attempted to find out about your ways of choosing foods, etc. Now we want to find out more about the people in our sample, and again we have some statements, only these describe how people think or feel about cer­ tain things." The list of statements was then handed to the subject with the explanation that the subject might read the statement to herself, and then respond either "true" or "false" aloud so that the appropriate response could be posted by the interviewer on the prepared answer sheet. If the subject insisted, the instrument was so constructed that she might check the answers herself on the in­ ventory. Approximately 14 percent so chose. Hie former method of administration was preferred in that some measure of continued con­ tact and interaction might be maintained between the subject and the examiner. The Role Inventory have here (Scale III) was introduced as follows: (indicates to subject the page in the booklet) "I a listof adjectives or phrases describing behaviors and characteristics of a homemaker. From each of these groups of words or phrases I would like you to select the most important four which picture how you feel a homemaker under economic conditions similar to your own would or should behave." The subject then was handed to make a check mark in front of her choices. a pencil and instructed The Self Inventory (Scale IV) was introduced as follows: "Now, of course, some of those statements describe how homemakers should act. Naturally, not every housewife actually does act as they think they should. Now would you please go through this next group of statements, picking four in each group again, but this time picking those which you feel most accurately picture how you see yourself. In other words, pick four from each group which describe you." RESULTS The results are presented under five headings. The overall perceptions and conflicts of the entire sample of wives is first discussed. Then individual differences in specific role perceptions, self perceptions, and conflicts are discu33ed in relation to: graphic variables, to traits, and to buying attitudes. demo­ Finally, demographic traits and buying attitude differences between wives with few conflicts and wives with many conflicts are presented. General Role. Self, and Conflicts of the Wife The Role Inventory (Scale III) and Self Inventory (Scale IV) were designed to examine the role and self concepts of wives. In these scales wives were asked to respond to the same stimulus items under two sets of directions. In the Role Inventory they were asked to respond to them as they thought housewives should behave and in the Self Inventory as they themselves pictured how they did behave* Differences between these two were the measures of conflict. To determine whether wives would give different answers under these different directions, a chi square analysis was performed on the frequencies of item selection obtained under both conditions. The Correlated Proportions Technique, corrected for continuity, as suggested by Edwards (9), was utilized. Forty-six of the eighty items were found to differ significantly at or beyond the .01 level of confidence* level. Twelve more items differed significantly at the .05 It appears, with 50 of 80 items differing significantly at or beyond the .05 level of confidence, that the two conditions under which the subjects were asked to respond to these inventories caused them to respond with differences significantly greater than chance. The results indicate that wives have a conception of the idealized role which they should play, and this often differs from the activ­ ities which they actually see themselves performing. A Spearman rho correlation of .SB between the composite role and self item rank­ ing was found. The Role of the Wife To find out what most women agree is an important part of their role as a wife, the items in the Role Inventory were ranked according to the percentage of 212 wives selecting the item (Table 11). Wives generally agree that raising children is a central part of their role: a companion to her children (89$), spending time with the children (88$), raising children (87$), enjoys children (86$), disciplining the children (73/0* The creation and maintenance of a clean (90$), cheerful (82$), and comfortable (82$) home atmosphere is also seen as vital. The personal traits which rank highest are: good natured (79$), sense of humor (77$), practical (77$), and cooper­ ative (75$). They think it important to serve as all-around companions to their husbands (90$), interpersonally (74$), sexually (62$), and occupationally (69$). They think they should be efficient managers (84$) and organized housekeepers (81$). Lastly, the role of the wife should include an ability to prepare (69$), cook (68$), and serve a variety of meals (5B$). 49 TABLE 11 ROLE PERCEPTIONS OF 212 WIVES RANKED ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGE SELECTING ITEM JL No. of Item in Scale I 90 90 89 88 87 86 84 84 82 82 82 81 3 16 40 75 56 68 38 66 1 9 20 34 clean (home) being a companion to the husband a companion to her children spending time with the children raising children enjoys children an establisher of a comfortable hoi efficient manager cheerful (home) comfort able (home) housekeeping an organizer of the household 79 77 76 75 74 73 21 61 25 47 71 15 good-natured sense of humor practical cooperative keeping her husband happy disciplining the children 69 68 63 63 63 62 58 64 79 54 55 37 being interested in husband's work good cook preparing and serving meals keeping up own appearance cooking a sexual companion to her husband 58 57 55 55 52 50 50 45 62 29 41 78 30 17 serves variety of meals careful shopper self-controlled ambitious cleaning the house thrifty cooking 49 48 1 48 47 47 46 43 42 41 51 46 80 19 5 23 2 friendly energetic buying foods calm keeping own appearance trim meal planning orderly (home) intelligent relaxed (home) _____ Item 50 TABLE 11 (Continued) jL No. of Item in Scale I __________________________ Item 37 37 35 32 12 22 50 7 helping her husband's career kind being informed on new ideas efficient (home) 29 28 28 24 24 53 31 77 76 20 59 budgeting finances a helper in her husband's job planning meals doing things to help her husband in his job progressive decorating the home 19 18 16 27 6 42 36 39 33 72 52 57 70 planful cozy (home) charming an entertainer of friends and associates a handler of the family finances a keeper of the family social responsibilities working in local civic enterprises (PTA, RC, etc.) sewing socializing with neighbors strict disciplinarian of children 28 10 44 24 63 11 49 13 14 35 73 32 69 18 4 74 65 67 60 8 ingenious quiet (home) good at baking modest socially popular mending of clothes good canner of fruits, vegetables, etc. dish washing entertaining a painter, decorator, and beautifier of the home shopping for bargains an earner of outside income to help support the family quick shopper buying of food modern (home) earning additional family income nice looking financially independent (of husband) earning own spending money fashionable (home) 16 15 15 14 11 11 11 9 9 8 8 8 8 8 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 2 1 0 26 51 Not. seen as an important part of the role was a need to serve as an economic contributor to the family finances (1$, 2$, 4$, 5$), or even to handle the family budgeting resjxDnsibilities (15$). En­ tertaining (6$, 8$), and responsibility for the social needs of the family (11$, 15$) were also seen as not important. The more tradition­ al areas of homemaking, including clothes mending (8$), canning (8$), baking (8$), and dish washing (7$) also were seen as of little im­ portance to the housewife's role* While wives make over 70 percent of the food purchases for the family, this was also not considered an important role segment (4$, 5$, 6$). The home atmosphere of least importance to wives included having a fashionable (0$), modern (4/0 > and quiet (9$) home. The personality traits least desired or thought to be of least importance within the roles of wives included being socially popular (8$), modest (8$), charming (16$), and planful (19$). The Self Concepts of the Wife On the whole, as Table 12 suggests, wives see themselves as doing what they think they should be doing. For example, they see the child raising (80$, 72$, 88$), and companionship (83$) roles as an important part of their actual daily activities. They see the home atmosphere which they maintain as one which is clean (82$), comfortable (80$), and yet relaxed (53$). The traits they see themselves as possessing include being practical (77$), friendly (77$), cooperative (73$), and good-natured (65$), with a sense of humor (74$). Being a companion to their husbands (87$) is stressed along with efficiently maintain­ ing (59$) an organized (68$) household. A good deal of emphasis seems to be directed toward maintaining a part of the traditional jobs of 52 TAB!;- 12 SELF PERCEPTIONS OF 212 WIVES RANKED ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGE SELECTING ITEM JL No. of Item in Scale I___________ Item 87 83 82 82 80 80 80 80 16 40 38 3 9 20 68 78 being a companion to the husband a companion to her children an establisher of a comfortable home clean (home) comfortable (home) housekeeping enjoys children cleaning the house 77 77 77 Ik 73 72 71 79 25 48 61 47 75 71 preparing and serving meals practical friendly sense of humor cooperative spending time with the children keeping her husband happy 68 34 56 55 64 21 17 45 an organizer of the household raising children cooking good cook good-natured cooking serves variety of meals 59 59 59 58 54 53 53 51 51 50 37 15 66 30 5 2 54 59 22 a sexual companion to her husband disciplining the children efficient manager thrifty orderly (home) careful shopper relaxed (home) keeping up own appearance decorating the home kind > rt 45 80 58 1 41 keeping own appearance trim being interested in husbandTs work cheerful (home) ambitious 37 37 36 18 29 44 buying of food self controlled good at baking 68 68 68 65 63 60 ^4I 47 46 62 53 TABLE 12 (Continued) JL No. of Item in Scale I____________________ Item 35 34 33 33 31 31 31 2k 19 k3 52 7 27 39 modest meal planning energetic sewing efficient (home) planful a handler of the family finances 29 29 29 27 27 25 24 k6 50 51 6 23 57 31 calm being informed on new ideas buying foods cozy (home) intelligent socializing with neighbors a helper in her husband's job 19 19 18 17 17 17 69 77 33 53 63 70 36 74 12 10 quick shopper planning meals a keeper of the family social responsibilities budgeting finances socially popular strict disciplinarian of children an entertainer of friends and associates earning additional family income helping her husband's career quiet (home) progressive doing things to help her husband in his job good canner of fruits, vegetables, etc. shopping for bargains modern (home) entertaining earning ov;n spending money an earner of outside income to help support the family 16 16 15 Ik Ik Ik 13 12 12 11 11 10 26 76 49 73 4 14 60 32 9 9 8 7 7 6 6 72 35 11 67 13 28 k 42 8 65 working in local civic enterprises (PTA, RC, etc.) a painter, decorator, and beautIfier of the home mending of clothes financially independent (of husband) dish washing ingenious nice looking charming fashionable (home) 54 homemaking, such as housekeeping (80$) and cleaning (80$), preparing (77$), cooking (68$), and serving a variety of meals (60$). Activities which the wives generally reported themselves as not engaging in included serving as an economic contributor to the family by earning additional income (7$, 10$, 11$, 16$) and in bud­ geting the present income (17$). They do not see as an important part of their activities dish washing (7$), mending (8$), canning 1,13$), or serving as an entertainer (11$) or socializer (16$). They do not shop for bargains (12$), neither are they interested in helping their husbands in their jobs (15$, 24$). They don't see their homes as being fashionable (2$), modern (12$), or quiet (14$)* Neither do they see themselves in a glamour role by being charming (4$), nice looking (6$), or socially popular (16$). Few report themselves as being ingenious (6$), progressive (14$), or even intelligent (27$). The Conflicts of the Wife Wives feel they do things which they do not consider as import­ ant. They also see themselves as doing things which they believe are not an important part of their role. Table 13 shows items ranked ac­ cording to the percentage of occurrences as a conflict. The primary area of conflict, felt by the wife, is in the area of personal trait deficiencies. Wives are in conflict over their self control (31$), their calmness (26$), their good nature (24$), their cooperativeness (17$), and their sense of humor (17$). They are in conflict about not being ambitious (23$), energetic (26$), progressive (16$), ana intelligent (24$). They are also in a conflict about maintaining their personal appearance (2.5$, 23$). Conflicts 55 TABLE 13 CONFLICTS PERCEIVED BY 212 WIVES RANKED ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGE OF OCCURRENCE % No. of Item in Scale I 40 31 30 29 .5& 29 66 26 26 26 51 43 46 BO 25 24 24 24 24 24 23 1 12 19 21 23 56 41 21 20 20 20 20 75 34- 19 19 19 16 IB 1? 17 17 50 15 64 45 53 47 61 16 16 16 26 9 14 14 14 14 13 13 13 42 7 55 76 % 5 12 12 36 11 62 77 50 '71 22 30 66 20 Item cheerful (home) self controlled being interested in husband's work efficient manager buying foods energetic calm keeping own appearance trim helping her husband's career meal planning good-natured intelllgent keeping up own apoearance ambitious spending time with the children an organizer of the household careful shopper planning meals raising children being informed on new ideas disciplining children good cook serves variety of meals budgeting finances cooperative sense of humor keeping her husband happy progressive comfortable (home) kind charming efficient (home) cooking doing things to help her husband in his job clean (hone) orderly (home) thrifty an establisher of a comfortable ho: .0 enjoys children housekeeping 56 TABLE 13 (C ontinued) -LL 11 11 1C 10 10 10 9 9 7 7 7 7 7 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 No. of Item in Scale I__________________ Item 17 25 31 36 40 2 cooking practical a helper in her husband’s job an entertainer of friends and associates a companion to her children relaxed (home) 79 16 2? 6 33 37 72 28 59 11 70 70 13 10 48 49 52 63 39 57 73 65 69 4 24 44 18 35 74 14 32 8 60 67 preparing and serving meals being a companion to the husband pianful cozy (horro) a keeper of the family social responsibilities a sexual companion to her husband ■working In local civic enterprises (PTA, RC, etc.) ingenious decorating the home mending of clothes strict disciplinarian of children cleaning the house dish washing quiet (home) friendly good canner of fruits, vegetables, etc. sewing socially popular a handler of the family finances socializing with neighbors shopping for bargains nice looking quick shopper modern (home) modest good at baking buying of food a painter, decorator, and beautifier of the home earning additional family income entertaining an earner of outside income to help support the family fashionable (itome) earning own spending money financially independent (of hushrnd) over the home being both cheerful (24.0$), and comfortable (l6yo) are --lso present. They are in doubt about the raising of their child­ ren {20%)9 and with the disciplining of them (19$). They are in con­ flict am:,m their interest in (30%) and help of their husband in his job or profession (f/T). They are in conflict over the efficiency {29%), organisation (20%) 9 and planning {20%) of their daily activ­ ities. Last of all, they are in conflict over the care taken in the purchasing of foods {26%). In many areas there was little evidence of conflict. None of the wives reported any conflicts over being financially independent of their husbands, earning their own spending money or running a fash­ ionable home. Only one in 100 had any conflicts over baking, maintain­ ing a modern home, socializing, or handling the family finances. Only four in 100 had conflicts over baking, maintaining a modern home, socializing, or handling the family finances. Only four in 100 had conflicts over their homes being quiet, or over themselves being socially popular. Not one in ten had conflicts over being ingenious, being a sexual companion to her husband or working in local civic enterprises• Demographic Differences Related to Role. Self, and Conflict Items The role perception, self perception, and conflict items were further analyzed to determine their relation to the demographic variable This analysis was accomplished by selecting the subgroups in each of the demographic classifications and testing the significance of the difference between proportions selecting the items in the Role and 5S Self Inventories and in the derived conflicts. The "t" test was used to test the difference in proportions. To illustrate the way Table 12+ and the following ones are organized, we take the term "cheerful" from Table 14. It differentiates, at the .05 level, between wives from families of three or four and five or more. The absence of an asterisk (#) indicates that those wives from families of five or more have chosen this term significantly more than those from the smaller families. In this case, 89.7 percent of the wives from the larger families selected "cheerful" versus 76.8 percent from the smaller families. A "t" test of the difference between proportions produced a "t" of 2.46 which is significant at the .05 level. Exactly the same procedure was followed for the self terms and those indicative of conflict. All terms which differentiate significantly in either of the three areas of role, self, or conflict, are shown in the tables which follow in this section. Abbreviations for the in­ dividual items are employed in these tables. abbreviations can be found in Appendix D. A table listing the The selection of any term indicates that the subject had a preference for that item at the exclusion of others within its group. Any item chosen would, consequently, be more important than those which were not chosen. The tendencies discussed below are only those v/hich significantly differentiate between the groups being compared. Perceptions which were held in common are not included. The Problem of Chance Differences There W ere 80 items analyzed with from two to five variables contrasted in each case. Therefore, with such large numbers, some 59 TABLE 14 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO SIZE OF FAMILi (N*s: # 75 76 77 _____________ Self 2* 2* 3-4* v s v s v s 5+ 3-4 __..5r _ 3-4* V 3 5+ Conflict 2* 2* v s V 3 _3r4„ 3-4-: v s 5t 05 01 01 05 10* 01* 01* 01 01* 01 05* 05'* 05 01 01* 10* 05* 01* 01* 10* 10* 01 10 05 05* 01 01 10* 05 01* 01 05* 05 01 05 05 05* 01 01 01 05* 01* 05* 01 * UA 66 68 cheerful relaxed comfortable quiet mend clothes discipline child buying of food meal planning intelligent practical self-controlled thrifty family social organizer entertainer sexual companion handle finances child companion charming energetic buying foods budgeting cooking raise children decorating careful shopper socially popular efficient enjoys children time-children help h* job planning meals Role 2* v s 54- O 1 2 9 10 11 15 IS 19 23 25 29 30 33 34 36 37 39 40 42 43 51 53 55 56 59 62 63 Item 2* v s _3_-4_. 2— 37, 3-4— 97, 5-H-76) 01 05 05* 01 01 01 01* 05* 05* 01 01 01 01 01 05* 05* 01 01 01* 05* 05* 10 01** 05* 05* 01* 01* 05* 05 10 01* 01* 01* 05 01 01 01 05* ^ In this and the following tables the significance levels are based on "t" scores. An asterisk(*) indicates greater frequency is in direction of classification so marked. 60 significant differences would be expected to occur purely by chance. For instance, in Table 14 there would be seven significant differences expected at the .01 level. This is calculated by multiplying eighty by the nine comparisons made. Table 14 shov/s 44 differences significant at the .01 level which is more than six times those expected by chance. Each of the tables which follow ray be so examined. Calculation of the total number of differences at the .01 level has been made for the three types of analyses: those concerned with demographic differences, those with trait differences, and those with buying attitude differences. On the basis of chance alone 85 differences at the .01 level could be expected for the demographic analysis. hundred -eighty-one were found. Two- Nineteen differences could be expected to occur in the personality trait analysis and 53 were noted. The buying attitude analysis could expect to show 24 differences and 26 were noted. The number of differences are just about what would be expected by chance in the latter analysis; thus differences found in this area must be interpreted with caution. In the other two cases nearly three times the number of differences expected were noted which would tend to increase the confidence with which the findings might be examined. Size of Family Table 14 shows the items differentiating at the .10 level or beyond those wives from families of two members and those of three to four, or from those of five or more. Differences do emerge and are most notice­ able in contrasting those families with no children with both other subgroups. The differences are generally what might have been expected. 61 Those wives with no children at home perceive the role as mainly encompassing household tasks and duties, such as mending, cooking, shopping, and budgeting. They see themselves as performing these tasks plus helping their husbands with their jobs. Their major conflicts center primarily in the child raising area, perhaps because they feel child raising is an important part of their role which they are not fulfilling. Wives from families with one or two children emphasize child raising, home decorating, and being a sexual companion to their husbands. They see themselves as being involved in child raising, but also as being energetic and socially popular. Their homes are characterized primarily as being relaxed. Their conflicts center around being practical, self controlled, ener­ getic, and about child raising. Those wives from families with three or more children perceive the role also as composed of child raising, being self controlled, energetic, running a relaxed home, and being a sexual companion to their husbands. Their self perceptions are identical to their role perceptions. sequently, this group appears to have the least conflicts. Con­ Those which emerge center on being practical, self controlled, and efficient. Type of Family Table 15 shows the items differentiating, at the .10 level or beyond, those wives from the five family cycle classifications: wife under 40 years of age and no children, wife with children under 10 years, wife with children from 10 to 19, wife with children both under 10 and from 10 to 19, and wife over 40 years of age and no children. The overall perceptions and conflicts of the women analyzed according 62 TABLE 15 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO TYPE OF FAMILY (N's: ■j Item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 34 36 37 39 40 un AO— S. un 10— 76. 10-19— 32. both— AS. over 40— A3) Role______________________ Self_____ _______________ Conflict un 40* un 40* un 40* un 40* un 40* un 40* un 40* un 40* vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs un 10 un 10 un 10 10-19 both 10-19 10-19 _ both cheerful relaxed clean modern orderly cozy efficient comfortable quiet mend clothes dish washing entertaining discipline child companion to h cooking buying of food housekeeping good-natured kind intelligent modest practical progressive planful ingenious self-controlled thrifty help h* job organizer entertainer sexual companion handle finances child companion 01 01* 05 01* 05 01* 05 05* 01* 01 01 un 4' vs bot] 01 01 10* 05 01 01 01 01 10* 05 05 05 10* 05 05 01 01 01 05 01 io* 01* 05* 01* 05* 01* 05* 01 01 01 01* 05* 05* 01* 01* 01 01* 01* 05 01* 01* 05 05 10 01 10 10 10* 05 05 05 05 01* 01 05 05 01 01 01 01 01 01* 01* 01 01 01* 63 TABLE 15 (Continued) J L Item 41 42 43 45 47 51 53 54 55 56 57 59 60 62 63 64 66 6? 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 ______ Role_____________________Self_____________ un 40* un 40*- un 40* un 40* un 40* un 40* vs vs vs vs vs vs un 10 10-19 both un 10 10-19 both ambitious charming energetic serves varietycooperative buying foods budgeting ap: earance cooking raise children socialize decorating earn money careful shopper socially popular good cook efficient independent (f) enjoys children quick shopper disciplinarian happy husband civic enterprise bargain shopper earn income time-children help h* job planning meals clean house prepare meals Conflict un 40* un 40* vs vs un 10 10-19 10* 01* 01* 01 01 10* 10* 05* 05* un 40* vs both 01 01 01* 01* 05* 01 10-* 01 05* 05 01* 01* 05 05 01* 01 01 01* 05 01* 01 01 01' 01 01 01 01 01 01 10* 01 05* 05 10 01 05 10 01 01 01 01 10* 10* 05* 01 05* 01 Cl 64 TABLE 15 (Continued) # Item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 IB 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2B 29 30 31 34 36 37 39 40 un AO* vs ov 40 cheerful relaxed clean modern orderly cozy efficient comfortable quiet mend clothes dish washing entertaining discipline child companion to h cooking buying of food housekeeping good-natured kind intelligent modest practical progressive planful ingenious self-controlled thrifty help h* job organizer entertainer sexual companion handle finances child companion Role un 10** vs 10-19 un 10* vs both lelf un AO* un 10* vs vs ov 40 10-19 un 10* vs both un 40* vs ov 40 Conflict un 10* vs 10-19 un 10* vs both 05 01* 05 01 01* 10* 05 05 05 05 01 05* 10* 10* 05 05 05* 10* 10* 01* 01 05 05 10 10 01 05 01* 10 05 01 01* 10 05* 01* 01 10 05 05 01* 05* 05 10 65 TABLE 15 (Continued) # Item un 40* vs ov 40 Role un 10* vs 10-19 un 10* vs both un 40* vs ov 40 Self un 10* vs 10-19 un 10* vs both Conflict un 40* un 10* V3 vs ov 40 10-19 41 ambitious un IO* vs both 05* 42 charming 43 45 47 51 53 54 55 56 57 59 60 62 63 64 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 76 79 energetic serves variety cooperative buying foods budgeting appearance cooking raise children socialize decorating earn money careful shopper socially popular good cook efficient independent (f) enjoys children quick shopper disciplinarian happy husband civic enterprise bargain shopper earn income time-children help h' job planning reals clean house prepare meals 10 05 01 05 05* 01* 05 05* 05* 05* 05* 01* 01 01* 10 01 05 05* 01 05* 05 05 01 05 01 10* 10 05* 01 05* 10 05 05* * P P o •£> O -4| to > > o p*- 6 o & o rH -4^ I W O > > o X P P rH I « C o C iH O £ i—t LO iH O O rH O > PO <5 u\ u a O u\ O O iH O ua rH O rH O O rH o 6 o, o rH JO -41 ua rH O O * X U> > C 0 O rH O G o P to UA o ^ > > o O & «H I to o -4^ s rH O > > rH O ;,c i— i o 6 rH O UA o O UA rH o H >:< rH UA O O O CiA o O rH rH HA rH O HA rH O O o o & O ua ft H O O P rH & rH O P I to o > p V o to -4 pj O * o -41 P to o > > P o I o to -4 o > > <—I o o-- x O rH x o *' •'* Vc o H UA *H X P to bo bO O O © © c C P rH X •rH •rl © 0 p P ■+-* PrH c c to •rH •H c P rH rd rj rH •rH K** .© _J P. o ? 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P -4 ~4 -4 -4 -4 un u^ un p ir\ >rNun vO uD -O 'P vO vO nO O P p TO- TO- P P TO- TO- p 0- 68 to this variable show a progression through the cycle commensurate with the increase in age and appear&nce and growth of children. The greatest differences exist between those with children against those without, regardless of age. The role perception' of wives under 40 with no children stress being good natured, running a clean hone, and buying and cooking of foods. Those with young children feel that the wife must be coopera­ tive, energetic and self controlled, besides being interested in child raising functions. She thinks her home should be relaxed, that she should help decorate it, and that she should be a sexual companion to her husband. Those with older children differ only in a felt need for the wife to handle finances and to also have a cheerful home. The woman of over 40 with no children begins to stress the need of intelligence and thrift. Also the handling of finances and budgeting become much more pertinent, as does entertaining and the reaffirmation of cooking and food involvement. The home should be orderly and quiet. The self perceptions of wives from these family types follow a similar cycle from cooking through child and husband companionship, back to cooking, socializing and budgeting. Those under 40 do perceive themselves as being good-natured and as involved in food shopping and preparation. Those with children emphasize they are modest and involved in child raising. to their husbands. They also perceive themselves as sexual companions Those with young children feel they shop for bargains, entertain, clean house, and cook. Those with children 10 to 19 are involved in earning money, civic enterprises, and entertaining, 'dives over 40 with no children indicate, once again, their involvement 69 in the traditional household chores of cooking, buying food, dish washing, and mending. Furthermore, they say they socialize, earn addi­ tional money, and help their husbands in their jobs. Their homes, they feel, are efficiently run and quiet, live 3 under 40 with no children had the smallest, number conflicts. of They stressed the absence of children as companions, serving a variety of meals, and helping the husband in his job. lives with • ,\g children had conflicts over their own appearance and over being self controlled, cooperative and efficient, A large number of mothers had conflicts over disciplining the children. Further conflicts for wives of young children were in budgeting, organizing the household, helping their husbands, and in planning and preparing meals, They had conflicts also over maintaining a relaxed, yet clean and efficient home. Wives with only older children had few conflicts outside of discipline. These were over their appearance, being thrifty, and cooking. Wives v;ith children in both age ranges had the greatest number of conflicts, A large number of these were in the area of personal characteristics. They were in doubt about being planful, ingenious, thrifty, good-natured, intelligent, ambitious, and self controlled. They were troubled about maintaining an organized home, entertaining, plan­ ing meals, cooking, and being a companion and a help to their hi stands, Their homes were not thought to be either clean or efficient. Wives over 40 with no children also had many conflicts, several of which were in the area of not having children to raise. They did not see themselves as being kind or intelligent and had conflicts over not being a civic 70 worker, having an organized home, having a harry husband, budgeting, and cooking meals. Also they do not see their homes as relaxed. Age of Wife Table 16 shows the items differentiating at the .10 level or beyond those wives under 30, those from 41 to 60, and those over 60. The role concepts of wives shift from an emphasis upon children at the young age to an emphasis upon money in the middle years to a final errpi a s is upon an orderly and smoothly running home. The self concepts progress from an emphasis upon being good-natured with a nice ap1 ear nee, being involved in child raising, and being a sexual companion, to a : oney earning and entertaining perception, and lastly to a perception characterized by maintaining an orderly and quiet hone and being both interested in and helping their husbands in their jobs, There are few conflicts characterizing the age progression. Those under 30 are in conflict over not enjoying their children and in cooking. Those over 40 are in conflict o ver hud vet ing, being in­ telligent, and disciplining the children. Those over 60 are free from conflicts specific to them. Education of Wife Table 17 shows the items differentiating at the ,10 level or beyond those wives who have had 9 to 11 years of education from those who have had 14 or more. The role differences show the less educated as being slightly more inclined toward financial handling, while the upper educated group place an emphasis upon the vjife being calm, in­ formed, raising and enjoying children, interested in and helping 71 TABLE 16 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESFONSES RELATED TO AGE OF WIFE(N» s : .¥ Jtem ao_so unde -i- ^ ^ s / 9 40-60— 90, over 60— 10) Role under 30* under 30* vs vs over 60 over 40 1 cheerful p relaxed 5 orderly 6 cozy 10 quiet 14 entertaining 15 disciplining child 17 cooking 21 good-natured 23 intelligent 29 self-controlled 30 thrifty 31 help h T job 35 decorator 37 sexual companion 39 handle finances 40 child companion 47 cooperative 51 buying foods 53 budgeting 54 appearance 55 cooking 56 raise children 58 interest h 1 job 60 earn monay 64 good cook 68 enjoys children 75 time-children 76 help h ’ job 77 planning meals Self under 30* under 30* vs vs over 60 over 40 Conflict under 30* under 30* vs over 40 over 60 01* 05* 05 05 05* 05* 10 05* 05 01* 01 05* 10* 05* 05* 05 05* 05 10 05* 05* 05* 01 01* 01* 01* 05* 01* 05 01 05 01 05* 05* 05* 01* 01* 10 01* 10 05 05 05* 05* 01* 01* 01* 05* 01 05 01* 01 05 nI TABLE 17 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO EDUCATION OF \J1FE (N’s: JL 2 Item relaxed 9-11— A3* 14 or more— 47) Role 9-11 yrs.* vs 14 or more Self 9-11 yr s .* vs 14 or more Conflict 9—11 yrs.* vs 14 or more 05 mend clothes 05* 12 help h 1 career 13 dish washing 05 15 discipline child 05 20 housekeeping 05* 23 intelligent 05 39 handle finances 01* 46 calm. 05 50 being informed 10 10 56 raise children 01 05 5# interest h* job 05 62 careful shopper 10* 63 enjoys children Cl 75 time-children 01 05* 73 clean house 05* 10 10 01 05 their husbands, and having a relaxed home. The lower educated group see themselves as intelligent, informed, raising and disciplining children, and dish washing. The few conflicts emerging suggest that the lower group has more conflicts over spending time with children and in doing mending. The better educated group have more conflicts over being calm and over doing their own housework. Who Works in Family Table 18 shows the items differentiating at the .10 level or beyond between those wives who work at outside employment and those who do not. The role perceptions of both groups are highly similar but their self perceptions and derived conflicts differ somewhat, as expected. The self perceptions of the working wives are loaded toward earning income and budgeting, while managing a cheerful, home and remaining both good natured and self controlled. Those wives who do not work have several times the number of ccnfli as those who do, Their conflicts center around themselves being good- natured, progressive, self controlled, or energetic. They are in doubt about entertaining, planning meals and maintaining a cheerful home. The only conflicts of the working wives are related to the home being cozy and comfortable enough, with the xvife not being involved as much as she thinks she should be in the decorating of it. Occupation of Husband Table 19 shows the items differentiating, at the .10 level or beyond, those wives whose husbands’ occupations have been classified as 74 TABLE IB SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO WHO WORKS IN THE FAMILY ________(Nf5; JL 1 6 9 21 24 25 26 29 30 32 36 38 43 53 59 6o 61 71 74 77 79 Item cheerful cozy comfortable good-natured modest practical progressive self-controlled thrifty earn income entertainer comfortable home energetic budgeting decorating earn money sense of humor happy husband earn income planning meals prepare meals Male only— 150« both— 42)________ Role Male only# vs both Self Male only# vs both 05 Conflict Male only# vs both 01# 05 05# 05 05# 01# 05 01# 01 05# 05# 05 01 01# 01# 10 10# 01 10# 01 05# 10# 01 05# 05# TABLE 19 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO OCCUPATION OF HUSBAND (N’s: JL Item Prof.— 55. Clerical— 31, Skilled— 53. Unskilled— 67) p 0 1 e C 0 3 e 1 f Prof.* Prof.* Prof.* Prof.* Prof.* Prof.* Prof.vs vs vs vs vs vs vs Unsk. Ski. Cler. Unsk. Ski.. _Cler*_ Unsk* i cheerful relaxed 01 3 clean 7 ef f ic~i ent cor,Portable he.-x> h * career 10*’ I entertaining 15 discipline child 16 companion to h 17 cooking 18 buying of food 19 meal planning 20 housekeeping 21 good-natured 01* 2.3 int e l l g m t 25 practical 26 progressive 27 planful 05 30 thrifty help h* job 10* 31 family social 33 36 entertainer 39 handle finances 05 41 ambitious energetic 43 46 calm 47 cooperative 50 being informed 51 buying foods 54 appearance 55 cooking 50 interest h* job 61 sense of humor 62 careful shopper 63 socially popular 64 good cook 67 independent (f) 68 enjoys children 74 earn income 75 time-children 05'* 76 help h ’ job 79 prepare meals 01-* 01-* 05* 10 05 05 01* 05* 05* 01* Cl* 01* 05* 01 01 01 01* 05 01 01 01 01 01* 01* 05 01* 05* 05* 10-* 01* 05* 05 10 01* 05* 10 05 01 10 05 05* 05* 01 Cl* 05 01 10 05* 05* 05* 05 05* 05* 10* 05 01* 10* OS01 76 TABLE 19 (Continued) JL Item i 2 3 7 9 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 25 «/ •C'J 27 30 31 33 36 39 41 43 46 u>mi 50 51 54 55 58 61 62 63 64 67 ee 74 75 76 79 80 ______ R o l e __________ Cler.* Cler.* Ski.* vs vs vs Ski, _____Unsk. Unsk. cheerful relaxed 01* clean efficient comfortable 05* help h ! career entertaining discipline child companion to h cooking buying of food meal planning housekeeping 01 good-natured 01 intelligent practice! progress!ve planful thrifty help h 1job family social 01* entertainer handle finances ambitious energetic calm cooperiCivc being informed buying foods appearance cooking interest h 1 job sense of hui.or careful shopper socially popular good cook independent (f) enjoys child 05* earn income time-child 05* help h ’ job prepare meals own appearance Cler.* vs Ski, 1 f Cler.* vs Unsk. Ski.* vs Unsk. o n f 1 i c Cler.* Cler.* vs vs Ski. Unsk, 05 01 05 05* 05* 01 01 05* 1C 05* 05 05* 05 05 05* 05* 01 01 10* 05 05 05‘; 01* 05 05* 05 05* 01 01* 05 01 01* 01* 01 05' 01 01 77 professional, clerical, skilled, and unskilled. Significant differences in the perceptions and conflicts of wives from these socioeconomic classifications emerge, Wives of professional and clerical workers have the most different role and self perceptions with the wives of skilled workers having the largest number of individual conflicts. Wives of professional men picture the wife's role as encompassing these features: she should be good-natured, intelligent and energetic, she must spend time with and discipline her children, she should help her husband's career, she should do the housekeeping and manage the family entertainment, and her home should be characterized by being relaxed and cheerful. The self perceptions of these women emphasize their sociability, sense of humor, concern with appearance, and their unique awareness and interest in their husbands'jobs. The wives of clerical workers feel that wives should spend time with and enjoy children, that they should run a clean, relaxed and comfortable home, and that they should be involved in food purchasing, meal planning, and meal preparation. They picture themselves as calm and thrifty and as spending most of their time in housekeeping and meal preparation. The wives of skilled workers think a wife should be concerned with her own appearance and with buying and cooking foods, Wives of unskilled workers think a wife should be characterized by being ambitious and thrifty and by maintaining a clean home. On the other hand they perceive themselves as being progressive, keeping an efficient home, earning additional income and being financially independent of their husbands, being careful shoppers, and being involved in buying and cooking foods. 78 The conflicts of wives of professional men center around being energetic, being the family social representative, and in being a good cook, especially the latter. Wives of clerical workers have conflicts over being good-natured and over buying foods, planning meals and being a good companion to their husbands. largest number of conflicts. Wives of skilled workers have the These center around being planful, coopera­ tive, spending time with the children, being a companion to their hus­ bands, buying foods, planning meals, being a good cook, housekeeping, and entertaining. Wives of unskilled workers have conflicts over being practical and thrifty, having a sense of humor, maintaining their appearance, cooking, and maintaining a clean home, Income of Family Table 20 shows the items differentiating at the .10 level or beyond between those wives from families with an income of less than $4,000 (low income), $4,001 to $7,000 (middle income), and over $7,000 (upper income). Only small differences in the role perceptions and conflicts are found between these three groups. The slight differences suggest a progression from housekeeping, through child rearing, to personality characteristics of being energetic, cooperative, and efficient. The self perceptions of the low incone bracket differ mainly from the upper group. They see themselves as much more modest and thrifty, and spending their time in buying food, preparing and cooking meals, and in cleaning house. More from the middle income bracket sc themselves as concerned with child raising, and involved with food preparation, when contrasted with the upper bracket. Those from the upper bracket are concerned with their appearance, being good-natured, 79 TABLE 20 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO INCOME OF FAMILY # Item 2 3 9 10 12 14 15 17 IS 20 21 24 30 32 33 40 43 44 47 51 52 53 55 56 60 61 62 63 64 66 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 (N_' 131 4— 45. 111. Over 7— 56) z-i— Under_a__s Li'..*— $4.001-&7.000— ». R o 1 e S e l f C o n f 1 i c t Under 4*Under 4* 4-7* Under 4*0nder 4* 4-7* Under 4*Under 4* 4-7* vs vs vs vs vs vs V3 VS VS Over 7 Over 7 Over 7 Over 7 Over 7 Over 7 4-7 4-7 4-7 relaxed clean comfortable quiet help h 1 career entertaining discipline child cooking buying of food housekeeping good-natured modest thrifty earn income family social child companion energetic good baker cooperative buying foods sewing budgeting cooking raise children earn money sense of humor careful shopper socially popular good cook efficient earn income time-children help h* job planning meals clean house prepare meals own appearance 01* 10* 10* 05* 05 05* 01 01 10 05 05* 01 05 10* 10* 05* 05* 05* 01* 05* 01* 01 05 01 10 05 05* 05* 05 05* 05* 10 05 01* 10 01* 01* 01* 01* 05* 10* 05 05 05 05 01* 01 05* 05* 05 05 01* 05 05* 01 01 05 05* 01* 05* 01* 01* 05 01* 10* 80 socially popular, entertaining, child raising and disciplining, a helper to their husbands and a contributor to the family income. There are few conflicts differentiating the three income groups. The 'wives in the lower income group are slightly more concerned with their own appearance and running a clean, comfortable home; the middle income group is concerned about their sense of humor, helping their husbands, and having a relaxed home; and the upper income group is most concerned with being thrifty, with budgeting, and with being a careful shopper. Percent of Income Spent for Food. Table 21 shows the items differentiating, at the .10 level or beyond, those wives from families spending from 0 to 15 percent, 16 to 30 percent, and over 30 percent of the family income for food. There appear to be only small differences in the role perceptions and conflicts between the three classifications. The self perceptions differ more. The role perceptions of those spending the low percent are typified by an emphasis upon the wife's good nature, charm, efficiency, entertaining, and cooking. The middle group emphasizes being informed, progressive, and disciplining children, while the high percent spenders emphasise simply being calm and running a comfortable home. The self perceptions of the low spenders emphasize their being good-natured, ambitious, efficient, maintaining their own appearance, entertaining, and helping their husbands' careers. The middle group see themselves as thrifty, as food buyers, cooking food, baking, cleaning, decorating, and as running a comfortable home. Those who spend over 30 percent feel they have a sense of humor and spend their time in cooking, baking, and cleaning house. 81 TABLE 21 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO PERCENT OF INCOME SPENT FOR FOOD (N»9 ; 0-15— 47. 16-30— 108. Over 30--54) _______ R o 1 _je______________ S e l f ___________ C o n f 0-15* 0-15* 16-30* 0-15* 0-15* 16-30* 0-15* 0-15* ▼3 # Item_________ 3 6 7 9 10 12 14 15 16 17 IS 21 22 23 26 29 30 31 34 36 41 42 44 45 46 47 50 51 52 54 55 56 59 61 62 66 72 78 79 80 clean cozy efficient comfortable quiet help h* career entertaining discipline child companion to h cooking buying of food good-natured kind intelligent progressive self-controlled thrifty help h' job organizer entertainer ambitious charming good baker serves variety calm cooperative being informed buying foods sewing appearance cooking raise children decorating sense of humor careful shopper efficient civic enterprise clean house prepare meals own appearance 16-30 V3 Ov 30 V3 Ov 30 V3 16-30 V3 Ov 30 V3 16-30 05* 10 05* 05* 05 VS Ov 30 01 10 05 05 05* 05* c t 16-30* VS Ov 30 10* 10 05* 05* 05 01 V3 Ov 30 i 10* 10* 01* l 10 01* 10 10* 05 10* 10* 10 05* 10* 05* 01* 10 01 05* 10* 01* 01* 05* 05 05 10* 10 05 10 05 10 10* 10 01* 05* 05 10 10* 05 10* 05* 10 10 10 05* 05 05 01* 10* 01 05 05* 05 01 05* 01 05* 82 The low spenders have virtually no conflicts while the middle group have the most. They have primarily personal conflicts over being kind, ambitious, progressive, informed, efficient, and having a sense of humor. Those who spend over 30 percent have conflicts over being efficient, over their appearance, and over serving an adequate variety of meals. Trait Differences Related to Role. Self, and Conflict Items In order to test for personality trait correlates of the role and self perceptions and of conflicts, the sample was divided into high and low groups on each of the eight personality traits. The percentages selecting each item of the 57 highs and 57 lows on each t rait were then tested to d eterraine if a significant difference existed. The "t,T test for testing the difference between proportions was employed. Dominance Table 22 shows the items differentiating at the .10 level or beyond those 57 wives who scored low in dominance from the 57 who scored high. The low and high dominant have sharply different conceptions of their roles which are generally consistent with what would be expected. The highly dominant stress being charming and ingenious as a part of the role and consider themselves to be intelligent, progressive, planful, involved in entertaining, and socially popular. The submissive stressed being thrifty, being good housekeepers, and helping their husbands with their jobs. They actually saw themselves as modest, practical, and thrifty and were concerned with buying foods, 83 TABLE 22 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BETWEEN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH DOMINANCE SCCRES _ (N's: JL Item 2 10 14 20 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 36 39 42 50 51 52 55 57 58 62 63 70 72 78 79 Low— 57» High— 57)________________________________ Role_____________ Self___________ Conflict Low* Low* Low* vs vs vs High High_____________ High_____ _____ relaxed quiet entertaining housekeeping intelligent modest practical progressive planful ingenious thrifty entertainer handle finances charming being informed buying foods sewing cooking socialize interest h' job careful shopper socially popular disciplinarian civic enterprise clean house prepare meals 01 05* 01* 01 05* 01 01* 05* 05 01 05 05* 10* 05 01* 10 10* 05 01 10* 05 05* 05 10-* 10* 01 01 io* 01 05* 10-* 84 cooking meals, and cleaning house. The conflicts differentiating trie extreme groups were negligible. Conformity Table 23 shows those items differentiating at the .10 level or beyond those 57 wives who scored low on the trait Conformity from the 57 who scored high. The two extreme groups have quite similar conceptions of the wife’s role. What differences do exist are, as might be expected, in the direction of the conforming wife emphasizing the need to be planful, and to run a clean and orderly house, which they do see them­ selves as doing. They are in conflict over the home being relaxed and over themselves being kind. The less conforming wives tend to emphasize the husband companionship role, while seeing themselves as socializers. Their conflicts stress their own lack of ingenuity and failure to give adequate occupational aid to their husbands, ^notional Control Table 24 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on Qnotional Control. A sharp difference in the role and self conceptions of these wives is indicated. The wives with low emotional control see the primary role of the wife as the raiser, companion, and discipliner of children. Secondarily, they see the wife role as being a companion to her husband, emphasizing being a sexual companion to him and keeping him happy. They see themselves as modest. Their conflicts are mainly in being self controlled, calm, and efficient, The women of high emotional control see the role as consisting of a diversity of areas, including friending, socializing, ah '•ppiug, and handling finances. 85 TABLE 23 SIGNIFICANT DIFFEREi\TCE3 IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BET'*fl£EN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH CONFORMITY SCORES (N's; JL 2 3 5 7 9 12 19 22 23 25 27 26 31 36 37 45 51 54 55 57 58 59 61 70 Item relaxed clean orderly efficient comfortable help h* career meal planning kind intelligent practical planful ingenious help h 1 job entertainer sexual companion serves variety buying foods appearance cooking socialize interest h ’ job decorating sense of humor disciplinarian Low— 57, High,, 57) Role Low*' vs . _ High Self Low* vs High 10* 01 01* 65 01 Conflict Low* vs High.. _ . 10 05* 10* 10* 10 10 05* 01 01 05 05* 05 05 01*10 01*- 05* 05 05 05 10* 05* 05 05* 10* 05 05* 86 TABLE 24 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BETWEEN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH EMOTIONAL CONTROL SCORES (N 1s : Item ± c comfortable 11 mend clothes 12 help h" career 15 19 2C 23 .24 27 28 29 31 33 37 38 39 40 45 46 54 56 62 64 66 68 71 75 76 77 78 discipline child meal planning housekeeping intelligent modest planful ingenious self-controlled help h 1 job family social se;cu^I companion comfortable home handle finances child companion serves variety calm appearance raise children careful shopper good cook efficient enjoys children happy husband time-children help h ! job planning meals clean house Low~=5.7_« High— :22) Role Self Low* Low* vs vs __ High High Conflict Low* vs High 05* 05 10* 05* 05 10* 10 05* 05 05 01* 10* 10 05 01 05 10 01* 01* 01 01* 10 01* 10 10 05* 10* 10* 10-* 05 01* 05* 05* 05* 05* 05 05 05* 87 However, they are distirguished from wives with less emotional control by seeing themselves as helpers to their husbands in their jobs, bj' planning meals, and by being calm, self controlled, and efficient. Optimism Table 25 shows the itemsdifferentiating the two extreme groups on Optimism. expected. The differences shown are congruent with what would be The more optimistic wives seek to be friendly, have a sense of humor, and spend their time in entertaining and decorating the home. They see themselves as being calm, friendly, relaxed, and good-natured. Their home is seen as relaxed and their energy spent keeping their husband happy and in socializing. They have more conflicts than the pessimists over being a companion to the husband and in cooking and decorating. Less optimistic wives seek a comfortable home, but see theirs as quiet. They think a wife should be ambitious and have a good appearance, but see themselves characterized as modest and thrift.. Having twice as many conflicts as the more optimistic wives, they worry about being self controlled, calm, good-natured, and efficient. Their home is not thought to be relaxed, and the husband not kept happy enough. Self Confidence Table 26 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on Self Confidence. two groups* Only one definitive difference exists between these The difference suggests that less confident wives emphasize the motherhood role and see such a role their major activities. plus cooking and cleaning as More self confident wives stress keeping the TABLE 25 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BETWEEN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH OPTIMISM SCORES (N*s: Low— 57. High— 57) Role_____________ Self__________ Conflict Low**Low* Low* # 2 7 9 10 14 16 17 16 19 21 24 29 30 35 33 41 46 43 51 54 59 61 66 71 77 79 Item relaxed efficient comfortable quiet entertaining companion to h cooking buying of food meal planning good-natured modest self-controlled thrifty decorator comfortable home ambitious calm friendly buying foods appearance decorating sense of humor efficient happy husband planning meals prepare meals V3 VS VS .High High High 05 01* 10 05* 05 05* 05* 05* 01 05* 01 05 01* 01 05 10* 10* 01 01* 01 01* 05* 05 05 05* 05 05 05* 10* 05* 10* 05* 05 05 01 10 05* 10* 05* 01* 05* 89 TABLE 26 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BETWEEN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH SELF CONFIDENCE SCORES (N 1s : § 9 15 17 22 23 24 26 29 31 4-0 43 56 63 64 68 70 71 78 Item comfortable discipline child cooking kind intelligent modest progressive self controlled help h 1 job child companion energetic raise children socially popular good cook enjoys children disciplinarian happy husband clean house Low— 57. High— -57) Role Low# vs High Self Low# vs 05# 05# Conflict Low* vs High____ High 10 10* 10* 10 05# 01 05# 05 10* 05 05# 05# 05 10 05# 10# 05 05# 05# 01* 90 husband happy while seeing themselves as helping their husbands in their jobs* They have few conflicts with the less confident having slightly more. The conflicts center around being progressive, self controlled, and keeping their husbands happy. Organization Table 27 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on Organization. The two groups have differing perceptions which are consistent with the trait measured. The highly organized wives stress being planful, progressive, and intelligent. They see themselves as practical, ambitious, calm, efficient, and as running an orderly and efficient home. They have more conflicts over being friendly. Less well organized wives stress being friendly, running relaxed and comforta­ ble homes, being good cooks, and being sexual companions to their hus­ bands. They see themselves as carrying out most of these activities. Their conflicts center on being practical, efficient, and organized. Gregariousness Table 28 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on Gregariousness. The perceptions of these groups are similar, with only a suggestion that more gregarious wives are raising and spending more time with their children. Low gregarious wives appear in conflict over being friendly, about the condition of their appearance, of raising their children, and of spending time with them. The gregarious wives' have more conflicts over cleaning the house and dish washing, which they think the wife should find important, but which they apparently don1! get around to often enough. 91 TABLE 27 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BETWEEN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH ORGANIZATION SCORES JSJt-------✓ f a ft 2 5 6 7 9 21 23 25 26 27 34 37 41 44 46 4S 51 59 64 66 70 77 79 80 Item relaxed orderly cozy efficient comfortable good-natured intelligent practical progressive planful organizer sexual companion ambitious good baker calm friendly buying foods decorating good cook efficient disciplinarian planning meals clean house own appearance . Role Low* vs High Self Low* vs High 10* 05* 01 10* 01 Conflict Low* vs .High 01* 05* 10 01 10 05* 10 10 01* 05* 10 05 01* 10 05* 10 01* 05* 05 05 10* 10* 01 01* 01 10 05* ci*- 92 TABLE 28 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BETWEEN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH GREGARIOUSNESS SCORES l£WT7?7i High— 57) __ Role_____________ Self___________ Conflict Low* Low* Low* vs vs vs Item______________________High__________ High___________High ------------ JL 13 21 23 27 31 39 41 45 46 48 56 57 60 63 72 75 78 80 ■ ,..(Ktss dish washing good-natured intelligent planful help h* job handle finances ambitious serves variety calm friendly raise children socialize earn money sociallj'- popular civic enterprise t irne- children clean house own appearance 05 05* 10 05 05 01* 10 05* 05 05 10* 05 05 05 10* 01 05 05* 05* 05 05* 05 05* 93 Warmth Table 29 shows the items differentiating the two groups on Warmth. The perceptions of these groups are similar. The only exception of importance is that the colder wives more often see themselves as money earners and as financially independent. They also have more conflicts over preparation of meals and in running a comfortable home. TABLE 29 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES BETWEEN WIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH WARMTH SCORES ---------------------- (M's: # 3 26 32 38 40 46 51 57 59 67 69 74 79 Item ______... clean progressive earn income comfortable home child companion calm buying foods socialize decorating independent (f) quick shopper earn income prepare meals Low— 57, High— 57)__________________________ Role Low* vs High Self Conflict Low* Low* vs vs H i g h ____________ High 10 10* 05* 10 05* 10 05 05 05* 05* 05* 10 01* 05 05* Buying Attitude Differences Related to Role. Self, and Conflict Items To test for buying attitude correlates cf role and self perceptions and of conflicts, the sample was divided into high and low groups on each of the ten buying attitude factors. The percentages selecting each item of the 57 highs and 57 lows on each influence were then tested to 94 determine if a significance existed. The flt n test was employed for measuring the difference between proportions. Cost of Food Table 30 shows the items differentiating, at the .10 level or beyond, those 57 wives who scored low on the influence of Cost of Food from the 57 who scored high. Differences indicate that those who are less influenced by the cost of food factor feel the role of the wife should stress child raising, child disciplining, and offering companionship and occupational aid to the husband in a relaxed home. The self conceptions emphasize child discipline, self control, and aiding in the husband1s job. Those highly influenced by the cost of food factor think of the role of the wife as typified by the tradition­ al duties of mending, dish washing, cocking, and cleaning. perceive themselves as mainly doing cooking and shopping. They The con­ flicts found are held by the highly cost conscious and are over main­ taining their own appearance, mending, and dish washing. Friends (Indirect) Table 31 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Friends (Indirect). The results indicate that there are virtually no meaningful differences. A suggestion exists that those who are less influenced consider child raising more im­ portant and see themselves more involved in it, while those highly influenced by their friends spend more time in cooking and entertain­ ing, and see themselves as more progressive. 95 TABLE 30 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE COST OF FOOD SCALE (N13 : Low— 57. High— -57) _Role Self Conflict Low* Low* Low* vs vs vs Item_____________________ H igh_____________ High_____________ High 1 2 3 5 9 11 12 13 15 16 17 26 29 30 39 46 54 56 62 64 70 73 75 76 73 cheerful relaxed clean orderly comfo rt able mend clothes help h* career dish washing discipline child companion to h cooking progressive self-controlled thrifty handle finances calm appearance raise children careful shopper good cook disciplinarian bargain shopper time-children help h* job clean house 10* 05* 10 05 05 05 05* 05 05* 01* 05 01 01* 05 10* 05 05* 01 05* 10 05 05 05* 10* 01 01 05* 05 01* 10* 10 10 96 TABLE 31 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE FRIENDS (INDIRECT) SCALE (N's; Item 14 15 16 17 23 26 27 28 56 64 66 68 69 70 77 entertaining disciplining child companion to h cookxng buying of food progressive planfUl ingenious raise children good cook efficient enjoys children quick shopper disciplinarian planning meals Low— 57. High— -57) Role Self Low'1 Low* vs vs High _ _High 05* Conflict Low* vs . _ .High 05 01* 10 10 10 05 10* 05* 10* 10 05* 10* 01* 05 10* 05* 05* Friends (Direct) Table 32 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Friends (Direct). The results, again, suggest little overall difference existing in the perceptions or conflicts. Those highly influenced by friends seem to desire to maintain a cheerful home and are slightly more concerned with social and civic responsibilities. Parents Table 33 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Parents. Few differences at the .05 level or better emerge from the analysis. No significant role differences emerge, beyond a suggestion that those less influenced by parents feel being a 97 TABLE 32 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE FRIENDS (DIRECT) SCALE ----------------- (M's: L o w - 5 7 . High— 57)_________________ Role Low* vs JL 3 14 24 49 50 52 62 63 72 80 Item Self Low* vs Conflict low* vs Hifik.. J M cheerful clean entertaining modest good canner being informed sewing careful shopper socially popular civic enterprise own appearance 05 01* 01* 10 05* 05* 10 10 05* 10 10 05* TABLE 33 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED.TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE PARENTS SCALE _-(N' s_;— Low— 57» High-57) Role Self Low* Lovr* VS JL i 3 11 15 16 26 44 51 53 56 58 59 64 71 72 78 V3 Conflict Low* V3 Item______________________ High_____________ High_____________ High cheerful clean mend clothes disciplining child companion to h progressive good baker buying foods budgeting raise children interest h 1 job decorating good cook happy husband civic enterprise clean house 10* 10 05* 05 10* 05 10* 10 05* 05 10 10 05* 10 10* 05* 10 10* 10* 05 10 98 husband’s companion and a civic worker is more important than raising children or cooking and baking. Those less influenced also see themselves as more progressive, and have only a single conflict-decorating the home. Those highly influenced have conflicts ovei' running a cheerful home, disciplining the children, keeping their husbands happy, purchasing food, and cooking. Preparation Time Table 34 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Preparation Time. analysis. Few differences emerge from this Wives highly influenced by the time element are not as concerned with being thrifty or in handling the household finances as are those who are not so influenced. They are concerned with a wife being a quick shopper, which they conceive themselves to be. Husband (Direct) Table 35 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Husbands (Direct). Several differences emerge, suggesting slight differences between the perceptions and conflicts of wives who are highly influenced by their husbands from those who are not. Wives not as directly influenced see the role as encompassing companionship and disciplining of the child, being good at baking, sewing, xnd at cooking. They, however, see themselves as distinct through earning additional income. Those highly influenced by their husbands stress family social and entertaining responsibilities. see themselves as informed, and as budget keepers. have conflicts over food purchasing. They Wives less influenced 99 TABLE 34 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE PREPARATION TIME SCALE (N'si JL 1 14 15 25 27 30 37 39 42 46 47 48 49 50 55 69 75 Low— 57. High— 57)________________________ Role_____________ Low* vs Item______________________ High_____________ cheerful entertaining disciplining child practical planful thrifty sexual companion handle finances charming calm cooperative friendly good canner being informed cooking quick shopper time-children Self Conflict Low* Low* vs vs High_____________ High 05 05 10 05*' 05* 05* 10 10 01* 10 10 10 01 05* 10 01* 05 05 10 01 05 100 TABLE 35 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE HUSBAND (DIRECT) SCALE (N»s; JL 10 14 28 33 37 40 44 50 51 52 53 55 59 60 61 62 70 74 78 Low— 57. High— 57) __________ Role_____________ Self___________ Conflict Low* Low* Low* vs vs vs Item_____________________ High _______ High_____________ High quiet entertaining ingenious family social sexual companion child companion good baker being informed buying foods sewing budgeting cooking decorative earn money sense of humor careful shopper d i s ci pi i na ri a n earn income clean house 05* 10 10 05 10 05* 05* 10* 05 01 05* 05* 05 10* 01 05 05* 10 05* 05* 01* 01* 1C* 05* 101 Husband (Indirect) Table 36 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Husband (Indirect)* less influenced give Few differences emerge. Those a suggestion of being more interested in being and actually think they are more relaxed, good-natured, friendly, enjoying their children, and trying to make their husbands happy. TABLE 36 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LCW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE HUSBAND (INDIRECT) SCALE (N's: if 1 5 13 21 27 28 38 48 52 53 65 68 71 72 77 Item cheerful orderlv dish washing good-natured planful ingenious comfortable home friendly sewing budgeting nice looking enjoys children happy husband civic enterprise planning meals Low— 57. High— 57) Role Low* vs High Self Low* vs High Conflict Low* vs High 05 10* 10 05 05 10* 05* 10* 10* 05 05* 05 10* 05 05* 10* 10 10 Food Value Table 37 shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Food value. The role perceptions of these two groups appear to offer the largest amount of divergency. Wives uninterested in 102 TABLE 37 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE FOOD VALUE SCALE (N's: JL i 10 12 14 16 21 23 24 27 28 29 33 38 42 47 51 53 55 57 63 70 73 78 79 Item cheerful quiet help h* career entertaining campanion to h good-natured intelligent modest planful ingenious self-controlled family social comfortable home charming cooperative buying foods budgeting cooking socialize socially popular disciplinarian bargain shopper clean house prepare meals L o w - 57. H i g h-57) _________________ Role Low* vs High_____________ Self Conflict Low* Low* vs vs High_____________ High Cl 05* 10* 05-3 05 10 05-* 01 01* 10* 05 10 05* 05 01 10* 05 05 10 10 01* 05 10 03* 05 10* 05* 10 103 food value perceive the w i f e fs role as remaining good-natured and self confident and as preparing and serving meals, while maintaining a quiet home. Their actual activities they do not perceive as being thus delineated. Wives who are influenced by food value feel a wife should be ingenious, planful, and intelligent. She should be a bargain hunter and interested in entertaining, while maintaining a cheerful home atmosphere. They actually see themselves as ingenious and as being the family social representative. Neither group is characterized by many conflicts. Food Quality Table 3& shows the items differentiating the two extreme groups on the influence of Food Quality. Negligible differences were found which do not appear to have unifying tendencies. TABLE 36 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND HIGH SCORES ON THE FOOD QUALITY SCALE (N*s: # 14 23 56 62 63 76 78 79 Item entertaining intelligent raise children careful shopper socially popular help h' job clean house prepare meals Low— 37. High--57)--Role Self Low* Low* vs vs High... High Conflict Low* vs High 05 10 05* 05 05 05* 05* 10 01 104 Mass Media Table 39 shows trie items differ'c to nt; i.g the two extreme groups on the influence of Mass Media* The overall differences are slight. Wives who are not influenced by this variable feel that wives should run quiet and cozy homes and be careful shoppers. and money earners. They feel they are ambitious They have conflicts over food purchasing, cooking, being a sexual companion to their husbands, and running a •y f t } ome. These influenced by mass media stress being informed, maintaining a cheerful home, and socializing. They see themselves as informed, intelligent, companions to their husbands, helping their husbands’ careers, and having modern homes. They have conflicts over being thrifty, socializing, and running an orderly home. Differences Between Wives with Low* and with High Conflict Scores To further explore the demographic, trait, and buying attitude correlates of conflict, the sample was divided into the two extreme groups according to conflict. As Table 40 indicates, there were marked individual differences in the number of conflicts revealed by the wives. The mean number was ten, but one v/ife had only two while another had 17. The maximum number of possible conflicts was 3 2 , a result of using a forced choice type of scale where the individual only selected appropriate items. 32 The 57 highs had a mean conflict score of 13.1 while the 57 lows had a mean conflict score of 6.6, 105 TABLE 39 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN INVENTORY RESPONSES RELATED TO LOW AND PilCJ-: SCORES ON THE LASS MEDIA SCALE (N 's: # I t e m ____________ 1 u 5 6 10 13 16 23 29 30 33 37 u 50 51 55 56 57 59 61 62 7k 76 cheerful modern orderly cozy quiet dish washing companion to h intelligent self controlled thrifty family social sexual companion ambitious being informed buying foods cooking raise children socialize decorating sense of humor careful shopper earn income help h 1 job Low— 5.7j. High— 5 7 ) _____ Role _____ Self Conflict Low”Low* Low* vs vs vs High_____________ High_____________ High 10 05 05 05 10* 05* 01* 05* 05* 05 05 10* 10* 10* 05 01 05* 01 05* 05 10 10* 05 05* 05* 05 10 10 05* 05* 05 106 TABLE 40 NUliBER OF DERIVED CONFLICTS REVEALED BY 212 WIVE3 Number of Wives Revealing Conflict 2 ? b 5 Number of Conflicts 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1A 15 16 17 1 1 5 6 8 20 20 27 36 27 26 13 9 9 2 Total 212 2 Differences in Demographic Variables To test the relationship between the demographic variables and conflict, a chi square analysis was performed by contrasting the highs versus the lows on each demographic variable* The results showed that no demographic classification revealed a difference which reached the .05 level. v/ife; The only variable at the .10 level was that of age of the the older wives tended to have more conflicts. Differences in Traits To test for a relationship between personality traits and conflict, a "t" test between the mean personality trait scores for the high and low conflict wives was performed. The results of the "t" tests with their accompanying level of significance is shown in Table 41. The high and low conflict groups did not differ in Dominance, Conformity, or Gregariousness, Wives with more conflicts were slightly colder. The major differences between the low and high conflict groups were in the traits of Optimism, Self Confidence, Emotional Control, and Organiza­ tion. Hershey (17) foimd these traits were all part of a cluster which could be confidently labelled "stable versus neurotic". In any case, it is the disorganized wife who lacks emotional control and feels inferior. 107 TABLE U1 MEAN TRAIT SCORES OF WIVES WITH LOW AND WITH HIGH ROLE CONFLICTS Triiit Low Conflict High Conflict .(N-57) (N-57) Difference "t" Dominance 10.3 9.8 .5 (not sig.) Conformity 19.2 IB.9 .3 (not sig.) Emotional Control 15.8 12.8 3.0 2.81*** Optimism 20.7 15.4 5.3 5.10*** Self Confidence 13.1 10.1 3.0 3.05*** Organization IB.6 16.7 1.9 2.19** Gregariousness 11.8 10.6 1.2 1.16 Warmth 20.4 18.8 1.6 1.89* * - .10 level ** — .0$ level ■ jhhj- _ ,01 level 108 Differences in Buying Attitudes To test the relationship between the buying attitude factors previously identified, and conflict, a ,!t M test between the mean buying attitude scores for high and low conflict wives was performed. The results of the "t" tests with their accompanying level of significance is shown in Table 12. The results indicate that conflict is related significantly to only one of the ten buying attitude factors. The high conflict wives report that their husbands exercise a strong but indirect influence on their food buying. are: The two items in this scale My husband tells me how much money can be spent for food. husband is the business man in this family. My I let him work out the budget and amount we have available for foods. 109 TABLE 42 KEAN BUYING ATTITUDE SCORES OF /JIVES WITH LOW AND HIGH ROLE CONFLICTS Attitude Low Conflict High Conflict (N-57) (N-57) 23.0 23.2 .2 (not sig.) Friends (Indirect) 5.7 5.5 .2 (not sig.) Friends (Direct) 4.0 4.3 .3 (not sig.) 10.2 11.1 1.1 Preparation Time 3.7 3.6 .1 (not sig.) Husband (Direct) 10.2 9.9 .3 (not sig.) Husband (indirect) 3.0 4.3 1.3 Food Value 6.0 6.2 .2 (not sig.) Food Quality 2.7 2.9 .2 (not sig.) Mass Media 7.5 7.4 .1 (not sig.) Cost of Food Parents * - ,10 level - .05 level -x-x-x- _ .01 level Difference "t" 1.19 2.64*** 110 DISCUSSION The study explored the factors relating to and effecting food purchases of wives. It further explored the possibility of developing and did develop instruments for the measurement of the influences which wives perceive affect them as they make food purchase decisions. Instruments for examining role perceptions and conflicts of wives were also developed. Fuller validation of the H.C.S. Inventory was attempted, and specific hypotheses were tested. Each of these problems is discussed in turn. A decision making scale was constructed which, when factor anal­ yzed, produced ten factors. The one accounting for most of the var­ iance was the cost of food. The finding supports the emphasis placed by marketers upon food price advertising in newspapers. The use of the conventional food ad with row after row of prices seems supported. The scales should prove useful in further studies of these factors or in the development of and testing of more adequate ones. scale requires further validation with other samples. The The next step would be greater amplification of the lesser influences so that more comprehensive measures can be made. Also, a more complete examina­ tion of the individual facets within the cost influence should be carried out. The cost of food factor carries with it strong sugges­ tions of some steps actively taken by the wife to secure an all around bargain* The possibility that other activities are taken by the wife in meeting the need should be explored. Ill The study indicates that it is both practical and feasible to gather adequate role and self pictures of the housewife. were constructed to which the wives readily responded. Scales Their sub­ jective reactions indicated they felt that the alternatives were real­ istically presented. also devised. sample. These scales also need further validation on another Advantages of the scales are their flexibility and ease of administration. them. A method of determining specific conflicts was Additional alternatives could easily be added to Dome items were checked so seldom and others were so little related to other variables that it might be wise that they be removed and replaced with others so that all dimensions of the role or self picture are included. The entire role and self scale was completed in an average of 15 minutes with few complications or omissions. They are limited in that wives may have been unwilling to fully ex­ press their feelings to the interviewers on some points. The overall role perception of wives heavily emphasizes child rearing. This is consistent with the findings of Gorer (13) and Kirkpatrick (22). Other role and self perceptions correlate heavily with the descriptions of wives in popular magazines. The conception is strongly family centered, and ignores outside earning activity, outside socializing, and/or outside purchasing. The results encom­ pass only one of the three role possibilities suggested by Mudd (31), and Nottingham (34), namely the motherhood role. Career activities, either singly or combined with family roles, were definitely rejected as were the social and civic roles. support for Parsons' There was a surprising lack of (3d) glamour girl role. upon the "personality girl" emerged. Rather, an emphasis However, this may reflect one 112 of the limitations of the method. The good companion role was also found to be of importance to the wives. Missing from the role is any inclusion of food purchasing which already has been indicated as primarily a task done by wives, do not appear to consider it important. They If not so considered, how much time or interest in learning will the wife devote to these tasks? Perhaps the task of government agricultural agents is to first see that such a duty becomes a perceived part of the wife’s role so she will be more amenable to such aid. Further research to help clarify this area is needed. Overall conflicts are primarily in the area of personal traits. Wives do not feel calm, cooperative, good-natured, ambitious, intell­ igent, or energetic, although they think they should be and are con­ stantly told to be so by the popular communication media. They d on’t feel they are spending enough time with their children, nor do they feel they are adequately disciplining them. The resulting picture shows a woman constantly beset with advertizing elaborately describ­ ing the vivacious, calm, and capable wife meeting the many crises of the day with nary a ruffled curl. are non-existent. Such self perceptions evidently The findings add weight to those of Hose that women are unrealistic about what to expect within the marriage relationship. again reaffirm children, The conflicts over being a companion to the children the struggle or felt need of being a "pal" to one’s Basic insecurities in the adequacy of discipline inn lies a need on the part of the mothers for further information concerning the disciplining of their offspring. Conflicts over helping their husbands occupationally may result from a desire to do so but an 113 inability to see how it might be done. The husband by his actions and attitudes may not encourage or even permit it. Unfortunately, information on an important although decreasing part of our population is lacking; those wives who have less than an eighth grade education and who undoubtedly belong to the lower class have not been examined. These scales would conceivably be use- able in such a study although the method might of necessity need to be altered so that an oral presentation could be employed. child raising also the most important conception there? statistics would suggest that It is. Is Population Are personality characteristics or lack of them the greatest cause of conflict there? How can wives or prospective wives from all classes be given an opportunity to gain a more realistic picture of the wife's job? How can our society aid in reducing the romantic picture and thus eventually reduce areas of conflict? These questions seem to indicate a direction in which research should progress. On the whole, conflicts do not appear as widespread as authors who have c :lled women the "lost sex" have suggested. Out of a pos­ sible 32 conflicts the average reported was only 10. The highest number of conflicts reported by any wife was just 17* A rho correlation of f.88 was found between rankings of items from the role and self scales (Table 11, Table 12). Such findings are limited by the scales employed which forced the subject to select only four from a possible ten alternatives. The grouping of the items would tend to have an influence on the overall selections. Further norms and validity data on the H.C.S. Inventory were developed. Wives as a population appeared less dominating and less 114 self confident than college males. Are wives less dominant than men in general, or is this a function of education? More highly educated wives are more dominant than their less educated sisters. Gorer (13) American women are more dominant than men, or at least dominate them. If this is true, the wife does not openly reveal her dominating tendencies on a self inventory. benefit from being more dominant? be further examined. the wife? Might it If false, the question is, would wives The lack of self confidence should Is this a result of the male's attempt to subjugate not be wise to increase such self confidence? Such an action might add greatljr to decreasing the conformity on which wives appear higher than males. The original hypotheses will now be examined. Table 43 summarizes the differences found which bear upon many of them. The first hypothesis stated that rol® perceptions, self perceptions, and conflicts are related to both demographic variables and personality traits was supported by the study. role and self scales. Table 43 shows the individual items from the Whether the differences were found on the role, self, or conflict areas is indicated by an ”R ”, ”S”, or ”C”, or ”r", "s", or "c". A difference at the .05 level is shown by the use of the small letters; at the .01 level by the large letters. The table doesn’t present either the direction of the difference or the contrasted sub­ groups. However, it offers a means of comparing individual terms and the general effect of demographic classifications, personality traits, and buying attitude factors. The table is included mainly for reader interest. 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O CO i —i CV -4 -c P CN 0 - vO - 4 o CO P5 U N C O CO rH un -ofat O - 4 - 4 CO a o to o o CN OftrH to o CO -4 -4 ™ CO CO CV CN CP P to CO cv 05 n o to 00 t> O o o to - 4 rH 4 3 05 _Ll (0 V) 43 o 8 -4 0-43 O n rH o co CO 05 o i—( O T a b le a o to e o CO CO to U o o o o ft* CO to o co cv cv CO to CO a a CO op i—ii I cp CO CO to CV C p 4 3 i—I cv o 05 to to a - - o o o P5 co CO o 05 to CO CO to to to CO a co CO C O -4 cv o o c\ CPI C- -4 CV CP 05 to ct5 i—I CO CO CO i—i CN ON UN £N- tO <0 W to to to o CN CN 43 a « 05 CV -4 - a CN -4- CN 05 Uh ( C o n t in u e d ) CV a ) cv co CO a Cp rH o o rH -4- u CO o CN CV cv to CP V vO r~i CO CO I—t i"- rH 05 tc o P5 P5 G| to U 05 o CO a o o o 6 cn pci E-< to to co co 05 c_> CO a a a o ft) 4) •H JD T) £ a -4J >> e s fO »—I ft) o U T3 o «m to ft) ft) i-. p , ft) XJ -H > ° *r! O O €> o a W) to -4 un 4 -4 E -4 U )X E 4) a it! ‘H X O a) o to O o r-t CO CP -4 *4" -4 U"V ITMA IA p a a b£ 3 o CiJ E •H _c a rH •r~> a a A3 a a ft) »,, c a O o N •H 4-1 o o i— 1 or. O o O rH rH a a 3 eft ft) a a •rH * o r* to ft) • X) ft) O -P a E c a O o V o E ft) d ft) cd O o •rl to •rH 'd ft) to o to UO E EN- CO CN O rH (V cp -4 UN nO UN UN UN '-o V3 UD u3 O nO 43 X 4) o ft) •H to 4) 5*3 x( ft o ft} to co o ON UN o o o o o to CO co co co co to a ) rH -4 O cp -4 CP rH 05 CO (0 ca UN cv jzi rH. cd o bO O -H b D +) 05 CO CO fn XJ O ') ft- -4 a) CO to 05 -P X) o 43 E r-* &t * X3 o X •l-J ft) *H O E 10 -p CO 'd £ £ -ri E c E O tO rH ftft 4) E *H JS -S ft) Q\ a l>iA3 -H rv o CT3 ft) O O O ft-H W E f t) C r. cti 1) TJ "~>-H CO a £> a a tt C C ? H o3 -H cO r3 -H r4 rH *h *) aHxJ ftft O -O ft) -P £X o IN- CO CN O rH CV Cp -4 UN 43 4- 00 43 43 43 CHC^ Ot>- C'-lt- EN- ^ i—i ctJ ft) U S ctl ft) ft) a rH co oj -P a a « a a a a ^ o CN O f- CO fS f o o; a> m r—h ta a a s M O 00 CN £-> 117 The type of family seems most influential in concepts and con­ flict perceptions* They do not appear to be static but shift relative to the phase of the family cycle. women over U5 work more* Havighurst (16) indicated that social:!'/*? more, decorate more and are greater companions to their husbands. Such was not indicated here. They were involved in the traditional household type of tasks, and their conflicts were over their self control, budgeting, and doing civic work. These findings v/ere supported in the size of family and age analyses. Preparation of women for the wife role means that the shifting feature must be considered. An important part of the preparation would seem to be preparing, not for a static role, but a changing one. How should wives be trained to prepare them for such shifts? The next most important determiner of role differences was the occupsti-on of the husband. Wives of professional men think they should and do show a greater interest in their husbands* jobs. This might be because the husband’s job is more interesting and the husband him­ self has a greater interest in it. Ogburn and Nimkoff (36) state that the child rearing role of lower class wives emphasizes physical care while the middle class wives stress companionship. The lower class as determined by the husband’s occupation does seem to stress the physical needs of the family. On the other hand, the child companion­ ship items show no difference between groups, which suggests that all groups probably view these items similarly. Wives of clerical v/orkers do feel that wives should enjoy children and spend time with them, but they do not actually see themselves as doing so. Viives from this classification are most in conflict over spending an 116 adequate amount of time with the children. Professional workers’ wives are more aware of and actually put more emphasi 3 upon the dis­ ciplining of children than do the others. seems to be of importance. conflict area. confidence. The reason why it is so For wives in general it is an important It may be related to lower class wives' lack of self Is it because they are unable to tell right from wrong, cr because the husband retains the discipline role for himself? Wives think they should discipline but don’t. A further investigation of these results appears warranted in the light of improving child rearing techniques. Role concepts of working and non-working wives are similar but self perceptions vary. While not significant, it is of interest that non-working wives have more conflicts then those who work. Such a finding doesn’t seem congruent with the popularized conception of the wife's place within the home. Since the findings are only suggestive it appears that this is an area for increased investigation. Do work­ ing wives have less conflicts because they work, or do they work be­ cause they have less conflicts? The question is important because the number of working wives is slowly increasing. The economic breakdown reveals primarily differences in 3elf conceptions. The findings partially support those of Duvall (S) in that the lower economic group does emphasize the traditional role. However, Duvall found that upper income wives emphasized the develop­ mental role. Tice results here indicate, again in support of the occu­ pational findings, that the higher income wives stress the discipline segment of the wives' role. Upper income wives further support the earning of additional income to augment the family finances. The 119 findings are contrary to those of Rose (44) who found that women from upper income families would spend more time in household chores than would poorer women. The self findings indicate the upper income women may spend more time in outside employment and entertaining. The varying results may be due to the fact that neither the upper income or lower income groups were "upper" or "lower" in the more extreme sense employed by Duvall and Rose. Of the trait measures, differences in optimism seems most in­ fluential in shaping different perceptions and lessening role con­ flicts with differences in conformity having almost equal influence. A finding of considerable importance is that less self confident wives are stressing the motherhood role more than those who are more con­ fident. The implication is of interest. By increasing self confidence would the motherhood role be brought into a better perspective, so that the wife would be better able to adjust to that lengthening period of her life when children are absent from the home? Are personality traits determined by the roles assumed by the wife or are roles dependent upon the traits? It seems reasonable that the latter would be more likely. The second hypothesis that traits are related to demographic variables was supported in the study. Differences were found on all but different size families and occupational differences. in the expected direction. They were Generally, wives appeared to show fewer neurotic tendencies as they grew older. A more complete investigation including a wider range of personality traits seems to be warranted. Some socio-economic relationships appeared which offer suggestions for future research. Upper class wives v/ere both optimistic and 120 dominant. Kiddle clas1 wives were more submissive, more conforming, more warm, and neither pessimistic nor optimistic. The lower class wives were pessimistic, non-conforming, and cold in their personal relationships. Once again, whether personality is here a cause or effect is unknown• The third hypothesis that number of children, arc of wife, ed­ ucation of wife, occupation of husband, ?nd income of family have no relation to role conflict was supported. made by Terman in his marriage study (52). The findings support those Conflicts, Terman found, were more related to personality and family background factors than to demographic differences. The fourth hypothesis that wives of the middle class have more role conflicts than do those from the lower class was not supported. The middle class, being the class which is most upward mobile, is generall 3r considered to be the class most beset with conflicts and disturbances in the striving to achieve. Ort (36) found with boys that the middle class had more role conflicts than the lower class. But no difference in conflict of any magnitude was found between either the occupational level or the income level tc support the findings of Crt. The differences may be a function of the different population characteristics. Ort worked with adolescent boys and the present stud} was done with adult married ferries. Furti eit:.cr< , the use of the low and high extreme groups may help to explain the incon­ sistency. The fifth hypothesis that the greater the amount of conflict in role, the poorer the emerging personality picture was strongly supported. The findings indicate that wives with high role conflicts a m o r e emotional, less optimistic, less self confident, more dis­ organized, and less warn. It should be not**d that wives did not report conflicts, but that such conflicts were derived from the role and self scales as previously discussed. The findings support those of Getzels and Guba (ll) who found poorer personality pictures for Air Force instructors who had greater role conflicts. The relation between the role conflicts and the personality indicates the complexity of making any concentrated attach upon altering the role conceptions of wives to reduce the number of role conflicts and increase the adjust­ ment and productivity of wives. If personality may cause conflict, the attack should not be upon role conceptions, but rather upon the individual personality of the developing female child. The sixth hypothesis that food purchase decisions are related to demographic variables, personality traits, and role perceptions and conflicts was not fully supported by the study. The most impor­ tant finding demographically is related to the education of the wife. The higher the education, the greater the influence of friends (dir­ ectly), parents, husband, and mass media. stantiate tl C 3C of hatona (2Ci). This finding tends to sub­ He found that those families in the stratum of the population which have the greatest need for information and care in deliberation over a purchase decision are least likely to look 10j’ it. Less educated and also younger wives fail to read as carefully or to follow the suggestions or influences of others, The findings on traits support those for education. The more dominating a wife, as measured by personality inventories, the more influenced such a woman is by her friends, husband and mass media. The finding intimates that while a wife may be highly dominating as 112 measured by sued a scale, rue still is very prone to accept the sug­ gestions of numerous others in the food purchasing area* Socio-ec­ onomic class emerges, therefore, as related to food purchase decisions. l+hor findings suggest that a negative relationship exists between the amount of time a woman desires to spend in front of the stove and conformity, and between how much she is indirectly influenced by her husband, and her level of optimism. Between the organization of a wife and her emphasis upon food value ■'•Lore is a x^osihive rela­ tionship. Preparation time apparently is the influence most related to personality, while the cost of the food is the least related. Cost of food seems to be almost an entirely economic phenomenon, untouched by personality differences. On the other hand, the cost of food factor showed the highest relationship to role concept pictures of any of the other nine fac­ tors. Apparently those who conceive of the wife’s role as encompass­ ing the traditional housekeeping chores are influenced by food costs while those who sec it as a companionship role both to the husband and to the children are not. While the primary influence in food buying decisions is not related to either demographic classes or to personality features, it does appear to be related to the concep­ tion the housewife has of the role that she should play, and to her self conceptions. The next most highly related influence to role and conflict is mass media. Wives who feel they are intelligent and modern are rore susceptible to ^Lls influence. In summary, then, the approaches to food buying appear only sparsely related tc several demographic and personality character:’ tics. Hiere is some relation indicated, however, between the role t o; j-'O conception of wives and whether or not they are susceptible to the most important influence, cost of food. An interesting question con­ cerns the relationship between socio-economic class and influence. The relationship is not in the direction usually postulated. It would normally be thought that wives from lower class homes would be more influenced by their husbands or their parents but this was not found to be true. The influence by friends appears explainable, for this group may well be highly motivated by upward mobile desires. Future research should, it appears, explore more fully the re­ lationship suggested between social class and the buying attitudes. Further exploration into the existing relationships between role and the influence of cost is also needed. This area offers the greatest possibility for a better understanding of the important cost influence. Thus, if cost influence is not dependent upon income, but rather upon phenomenal perception of the wife, then attempts to help those families at the low end of the scale who could most benefit would require, not a direct approach, but one facilitated through alter­ ing role perceptions. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS The overall purpose of the study was to conduct a general ex­ ploration which would clarify the factors affecting food purchases of wives; to examine the general and specific roles and role con­ flicts of wives; and to establish any demographic and psychological correlates linking the above variables. A measuring instrument to establish and evaluate the strength of various influences upon wives in making food purchase decisions was constructed and administered to 242 housewives from the greater Lansing area* Demographic data on age, education, income, etc. had been previously collected from these wives in a prior survey. The scale was factor analyzed and ten influences were identified. Ranked according to degree of influence they were: Cost of Food, Friends (Indirect and Direct), Parents, Food Preparation Time, Husband (Direct and Indirect), Food Value, Food Quality, and Mass Media. Amplification of the norms and validity of the H.C.S Inventory was accomplished. In comparison with a male college population, the wives scored lower on Dominance, Self Confidence, and Gregariousness, equal on Emotional Control and Optimism, and higher on Conformity, Organization, and Warmth. An instrument for measuring basic role and self concepts was constructed. The correlated proportions chi square technique in­ dicated that the role and self perceptions of wives do differ. Con­ flicts were measured by recording those items which wives perceived 125 as being important to the role of a housewife, but which they did not see themselves as performing* General role, self, and conflict pictures for the sample were discussed. The following hypotheses were tested statistically with the following results and conclusions. Implications of the findings were discussed* (1) Role perceptions, self perceptions, and role conflicts were found to be related to both demographic variables and personal­ ity traits. It was found, for instance, that the role percep­ tions of wives are not static but generally undergo change relative to their position within a normal family cycle. (2) Personality traits were found to be related to demographic variables. For example, it was found that dominance is related to education. The greater the education, the greater the dom­ inance; and the higher the family income, the greater the dom­ inance . (3) Number of children, age of wife, education of wife, occupation of husband, and income of the family were found to have no relation to the total number of role conflicts of the wife. A suggestion, however, that working wives have fewer conflicts was discussed. (4) Wives of the middle class were not found to have more role con­ flicts than those of the lower class. (5) The greater the amount of conflict in role perceptions, it was found, the poorer the personality picture; wives with more role conflicts were found to be more pessimistic, more emotional, more disorganized, and less self confident. 126 (6) Food purchase decisions were found to have some relation to demographic variables, personality traits, and role perceptions and conflicts. The influence which the cost factor plaj'ed in the wives1 food purchasing accounts for the greatest differences among wives. Yet these differences were practically unrelated to either demographic or personality traits. It appeared most likely that the differences were due to the role perceptions held by the wives. More traditionally oriented perceptions were accompanied by greater influence of cost. companionship oriented were not so influenced. Wives more REFERENCES 1* Argyle, M. 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Toby, J. Some variables in role conflict analysis. 1952, 30, 324-327. Cultural contradictions and sex roles: Amer. Sociol. Rev.. 1950, 15, 283-293. New York, Soc. Forces. 54. Wallin, P. study. a repeat 55. Warren, R. L. Cultural, personal, and situational roles. Sociology and Social Research. 1949, 34, 104-111* 56. Whyte, W. H. The wife problem. In Winch,R. F. and McGinnis. M arriage and the Family. New York, Henry Holt and Co., 1953. APPENDICES APPENDIX A 132 Lansing FOOD EXPENDITURE STUDY 195>8 Date Interviewer 1* a. First of all, how many persons are there in your household? That is, how many eat their meals regularly in your home? ____________ b* Do you have any children under 10? ( )Yes ( )No c» Do you have any children 10 - 19? ( )Yes ( )No Now we would 2* like to know the approximate ages of theheads of your household, Femalehead (wife, widow, or maiden lady) )1. )2. )3% )U. )£• 3,Male head (husband,widower bachelor) Under 30 years 31-UO Ul-60 Over 60 Household has no female head or )lo Under 30 years )2* 31-hO )3o Ul -60 )U, Over 60 )5>* Household has no male head About how many years of formal education were completed: ii* By the female head ( ( ( ( ( )l. )2. )3* )U* )E>* By the male head 0-8 years 9-11 12-13 1U or more Household has no female head ( )l« ( )2. ( )3* ( )U. ( )£* 0-8 years 9-11 12-13 lU or more Household has no male head 6, Did you have a vegetable garden in 195*7? 7# Did you do any home canning of fruits or vegetables during 19^7? 8* Do you have a home freeser or rent a frosen food locker? 9* a. How many members of your household worked enough to earn morethan 0800 during 19^7? ___________ b* Which members were these? ( ( ( ( )a, )b« )c ♦ )d* Male head — Female head Children Other occupation? ( )Yes ( )No ( )Yes ______________________________ ( )Yes ( )No ( )No - 2 ~ 10# Are there any members of your household who are currently: ( )1* / \ (. )2* ( )3« Without a Job and looking for a job* Who. ,, Since , Getting unemployment pay? 1 Have a job but temporarily laid-off Who ? Since * Getting unemployment pay? 0___ Working but on a reduced number of days a week* 1» Average number of hours per week?_____________ Comments If one of above checked, ask: a* Could you give me an idea of how your weekly income now compares with After G___________ what it was before? Before G _ _________ b* I wonder if you could tell me how you have changed your buying as a result of the lower income? If none of 10 checked, ask: a* Do you see any possibility of any member or becoming unemployed or being put on a ( )Y^s ( )No ( )DonTt know of your family being laid-off shorter work week this year? If’^yes® or wd o n rt know” ask: b* Has this Influenced your current spending in any way? ( )Yes ( )No c* If “'‘yes’* how?___________ ________________________ ________________________ _____ - 3 — 11 . 134 SAMPLE A* 1 Black Ink Now we would like to get a record of all of your food purchases for the past 7 days. To do this we have a purchase diary to record your purchases. We would like to get quantities, prices and/or expenditures for each food item as well as you can estimate them or remember them* B. Brown Ink If question 10 indicated no decreased income due to unemployment ask: Now assume that due to unemployment or some other similar event, your family income had been reduced by $0 percent (l/2) several months ago and you do not know for sure how long this reduced income will last. Fill in a revised diary Indicating what you most likely would have purchased under these conditions for the past 7 day period. If question 10 indicates reduced income due to unemployment, ask: Now I wonder if we can take another diary and indicate what your food purchases most likely would have been the past 7 days if you had had your usual income. - k n 135 12# Who in your family would you say has the most important part in dec id inn; tow much is spent for food? ( ) Husband ( ) Wife ( ) Husband & wife about the same Other Comment 13* Which one of these two would say was more important in determining the sise of your food bill? ( )a* The amount of money you are willing or able to spend, or ( )b* The kinds and quantities of foods your family wants# Comments 1U. Which of the following five statements comes closest to describing your families approach to a food budget: ( )l# ( )2, ( )3# ( )U# ( )5># 15* a* The food budget is simply what is left after paying all the necessary bills# We have a more or less fixed food budget# How much &______ per ____ We have no fixed budget but do have in mind a general idea of a maximum amount we are willing or able to spend for food* About what is this maximum? $____________ per___ We buy about what we want, but are not extravagant# We buy just what we want — cost of food is no problem or concern# About how much would you estimate your family usually spends for food for home use iraluding products which are delivered, such as milk and bread? __________ Per_________ b# How much for meals eaten away from home? £>__________ per_________ c# About how many meal did members of your family eat away from home the last 7 days? ____________ About what was the total cost? C _____ (Meals prepared at home Sc eaten away not included as meals away.) d# About how many total meals did you serve to guests during the past 7 days? e* Was last week expenditures? f# Do you expect next weekfe total food purchases to be fairly typical or usual? ( )Yes ( )No — If not, why not?^_________________________ a fairly usual or typical week in regard to your total food ( )Yes ( )No — If not, why? _______________________ - 5 - 16# 136 Did you read the newspaper grocery store ads last week before doing your grocery shopping? ( )Yes ( )No a# b* 17* 18# If "yes” ask, Did they influence what you shopped for? Did they influence where you shopped? ( )Yes ( )Yes ( )No ( )No Which of these pategorys fits your best estimate of the total income of all members of your household from all sources after Federal income taxes were deducted for 1997? ( )1* 02,00Q 6r under ( )U» 9>U01-7,000 ( )2, 2>0Q1~U,000 ( )9* 7,001-10,000 ( )3* U,001-9,Uoo ( )6* Over $10,000 Do you expect your 1998 income to be larger, smaller or about the same as it was in 1997? ( )larger ( ) smaller ( )about the same If larger or smaller, ask — Do you expect this to influence the amount you spend for food? ( )Yes ( )No If yes — in what w a y ? __________________________________________________ _______ 19* A, Most families now days have some monthly payments to make for housing or other items. Do you have any monthly payments of the following type? a# Rent ( )Yes ( )No b* House payment (mortgage or land contract) ( )Yes ( )No c. Utilities ( )Yes ( )No d« Payments on car ( )Yes ( )No e. Installemtn payments on appliances or other home furnishings ( )Yes ( )Nc f. Insurance ( )Yes ( ) No Now I wonder if you could give an estimate of the percentage of your current income (after Federal income taxes) which is committed to these payments? B* If family has unemployed members as indicated in question 10 ask: Have you taken any steps to reduce these monthly payments? ( ( ( ( ( )l* )2* )3» )U# )9* Moved to cheaper housing Sold item to pay off debts Allowed seller to have article back Let insurance lapse Paid off with money from other sources - bank borrowing, relatives, savings. % «-6 137 20* About how many families do you know who have members laid off or unemployed? __________________ number# If they know some, ask: It Is important as part of this study to find a few more families with unemployed members than happen to come up in the random sample * I wonder if you would mind giving me the addresses or names of some of these families? 21* (Green ink) Now I would like to ask you to keep a record of your food purchases for the next 7 days* I have dated the diary starting with todays (tomorrows) date* We would like you to simply record in this diary each food item you purchase or obtain as a gift from your garden or from fishingo Then fold it and put it in the mail# The postage has already been paid# APPENDIX B Lansing 138 Food Expenoitnre Study II 1958 Number Date Interviewer 1. Name 2. Address 3. Identity established as previously interviewed household. Iu Previous interviewee ? ( ) a. ( ) b. ( ) c. Female head "male head Other (specify) TA10 most frequently does the food purchasing for your family? ( ( ( ( ) a. ) b. \ c. ) d. Female head IIale head . utual Other (specify) How often is , a major food shopping trip made? ( ( ( ( ( ) ) ) ) ) a. b. c. d. e. 1 1 1 2 3 per month per two weeks per week per week or more per week How many different stores do you normally make major food pure' a week period? ( ) a. f \ ) b. ( ) C. ( ) d. ( ) e. 1 2 3 k or more shop at stores having current bargains How much time per week would you estimate is spent by members (Time spent in the store) family in sho'ppin g for food? Krs5 :in. 9. How do you feel about food shopping? V ( ( ( ( ( ( ) ) ) ) ) ) ) a. b. c. d. e. Do you like to shop? Favorable response explained Favorable response unexplained Neutral response Unfavorable response unexplained. Unfavorable response explained 139 10. Scale I Illustrations a. b. c. 11. "I go shopping with my nei?; ;hbor •n Female head Male head Computed score Scale I scores Price ___ _ Information Quality _____ Calculation Convenience Pre-planning 12. Other _____ Parent _____ Scale IT scores Dominance ___ Conformity Emotional Control ____ Optimasm _____ Self Confidence _____ Organization _____ Gregariousness _____ Warmth Scale II 1 140 e 1* Even when I ’m in low spirits, I always do what is best for the long run. 2. I control m;/ emotions in practically all situations. 3. I have quite a few fears about my future. li. Uhen I am very frightened, I occasionally lose some self-control. 5* I am Inclined to trust almost everyone, 6. I am occasionally discouraged by my own inadequacies. 7. I never feel ashamed when I spend considerable time or money on recreation. 8. I assert myself with energy on almost any occasion. 9. I sometimes express unconventional opinions to people who are likely to disapprove of them. 10. I sometimes become melancholy without very good reason. 11. I sometimes feel the need to explain my behavior. 12. I sometimes disregard minor rules and regulations that hamper my freedom. 13. Jeers never humiliate me when I thank I am right. ll[. If I start working on a puzzle, I always stick to ituntil it is solved. 15. I frequently obey whatever impulse is strongest. 16. I am considered extremely 11steady" by my friends ratherthan "excitable" 17. I keep my workplace extremely neat and very orderly. 18. I an affected by the praise or blame of many people. 19* I have some feelings of inferiority. 20. then I meet a stranger, I sometimes think he is abetter man than I an. 21. I am occasionally carried away by an emotional impulse. 22. I am somewhat more shy than the average person. 23. I feel somewhat inferior as a person to a few of my friends. 2J4. I am strongly opposed to accepting anything just because an authority says it is so. 25. by desires are occasionally at war with one another. n ._2 True False -1 !■ ___ 26* I have sonetimes felt that my difficulties were oiling up so thatLf vras unlikely to overcome them. ___ 27* I generally go from one thing to another in my great deal of planning. ___ 28. I daily life without a am a rather carefree person. 29. X generally keep in the background atsocialfunctions. 30. Personal criticism never unsets me. 31. "then I am fa.ced with several critical demands at the same time, I always maintain complete self-control. 32. I sometimes find it difficult to pin myself down to one line of thought for a long time. 33. I am always a leader of the people I kno?,r. 36* I am sometimes influenced in minor decisions by how I happen to be feeling at the moment. 3$. I never lose my head. 36. I have often been successful in telling other people what to do. 37- I sometimes lack self-confidence when I have to people that are at least as good as I am. compete against 38. I am always eager to take a chance alone in a situation of doubtful outcome. 39* I enjoy being a leader of people. kOm I'm occasionally disorganized if I am called on few remarks. suddenly to make a 1+1. People seldom come to me for advice. 1+2. Some people I know can look forward to a happier life than I can. 1+3. I seldom feel despairing even when I fail. 134. I have frequently asserted my leadership of a group. 65. I am pretty saoisfiod with the way I am. 66. I always argue for my point of view when It is attacked by others. 67. I go my own way somewhat regardless of the opinion ofothers. 68. I enjoy people who are blunt in their speech. 69. I rattier often find myself worrying about something. 50. I never argue with older people whom I respect. 3 0 142 51. I am very optimistic. 52. iiy emotions never pet in the way of m y doing what I should do. 53. I like to make a very careful plan before starting in to do anything. 55-. If a person in a group discussion makes a statement that I think is erroneous, I frequently question it. 55. I am not particularly methodical in my daily life. 56. I generally try to get my own way in a group even if I have to work hard for it. 57 • I have arranged my life so that it runs very smoothly. 58. I can always give good reasons for my actions. 59. I have no great desire to have the responsibilities of group leadership. 60. I am extremely self-confident. 61. I am generally extremely carefree and relaxed. 62. I proceed on the assumption that things almost always turn out all right 63. I always keep complete control of myself in an emergency situation. 61u I occasionally feel self-conscious in the presence of very important superiors. 65. I have anextremely strong sense of responsibility about my duties. 66. then I am with a group of people, I often make the decisions about what they are going to do. 67. I like to worlc on some problems even un ambiguous answer• 68. then I fm emotionally disturbed, of things. I when there is no clear-cut and have difficulty doing some kinds 69. I am sometimes so discouraged about my activities that I cannot do my best. 70. I always carry out minor responsibilities even when I feel very miserable» 71. Criticism never bothers me. 72. I am almost always regarded by others as a leader. 73. I sometimes worry ever extremely Irirdlia'u ng experiences. 75. I can always do a go. 1Job even when I bn very excited. 75* I feel that I an extremely lucky. 4 True 7also 76. I like to nave m y meals organized and a definite time set aside for eating. 77. I sometimes feel pessimistic about the 143 future for good reasons. 78. I enjoy taking the full responsibility for introducing people at a party. 79* Once I begin any task, I always finish it. 80. I am seldom the center of attention in a group. 81. Compared to your own self-respect, the little. respect of others means very 82. I seldom worry about what people will say about what I do. 83. I am seldom very good at formulating and explaining goals to a group. 84. Even when I lm angry Ialways conceal it if it is necessary in order to get something done. 8f>. I enjoy putting myself in the background and. working with zest for another person. 86. I like to keep all m y letters and other papers neatly arranged and filed. 87. Regardless of how I feel at the moment, I always manage to go with a job that needs to be done. through 88. Before I do something 1 am apt to consider whether m y friends will blame me for it. 89* I am always taking on added social responsibilities. 90. My moods tend to influence m y work. 91. I think that I have a more rigorous standard of right and wrong than most people. 92. I find that a well-Ordered mode of life with regular hours and an established routine is most congenial for me. 93. I have almost cried in situations where I did 94* I avoid situations where I am expected conventional standards. not want to. to conform very closely to 93. I generally accept suggestions rather than insist on working things out in m y own way. 96. ’whenever I have to undertake a job I make out a careful plan of procedure. 97. I more often feel tense than relaxed. 98. Ican always control my temper. 99. Vie acquire the highest form of freedom when our wishes conform to the will of society. 100. Life sometimes seems gray to me. 5 0 101. I enjoy speaking in public. 1U 102. I sometimes feel that the solution of my problems will be extremely difficult. 103. In diffi cult situations, I sometimes become too excited, I0J4.. I remember m y successes much more often than my failures. 105. I frequently speax out in a group go start discussion, 106. I am extremely systematic in caring for my personal property. 107. I see m y future as being almost always happy and pleasant. 108. I think a good deal about my troublese 109* I find it rather hard to keep to a rigid routine« 110. I f I take a trip, I like to consider it as an adventure rather than have everything planned in advance. 111. I always avoid getting into serious arguments. 112. I find it difficult to keep my mind on one detail for very long* 113. It is of little importance to me whether people agree with my ideas or not. Ill;. I sometimes complain to a waiter when I am served inferior or poorly prepared food. 115>. I am sometimes a little discourteous when I hn very excited. 116. 117. I have said tactless things when I was in a very heated argument. I consider the close observance of social customs essential aspect of life. and manners an 118. I am cautious about undertaking anything which may lead to humiliating experiences. 119. It is occasionally difficult for me to keep my mind on one thing for a long time. 120. I like to have my life so arranged that it runs smoothly and without much change in plans. 121. I am occasionally discouraged when the opinions of others differ markedly from m y own, 122. I take pains not to incur the disapproval of others. 123. I occasionally act contrary to custom. 12lu The trouble with many people is that they d o n ’t take things seriously enough. 125. Some of my friends think that my ideas are impractical, if not a bit wild. 6 e 126. I feel that my ideas are always worthwhile. 1U5 127. I am almost never embarrassed. 128. I always keep my head in dangerous situations. 129* I almost always feel that people approve of me. 130. Sometines I rather enjoy doing things I ’m not supposed to do. 131. I am often called upon to settle arguments between people. 132. I am a nervous person. 133. I find that m y minor likes and dislikes change rather frequently. 133* Science should nave as much to say about moral values as religion does. 135. I am in favor of strict enforcement of all laws. 136. The future sometimes looks rather dark to me. 137. I hesitate to tell other people how to I could be of help. do a job even when I am sure 133. In matters of conduct I conform very closely to custom. 139. I look forward to the future with great enthusiasm. 124.0 . Others influence me more than I influence them. llfL. I have often been much more hopeful about my chances than warranted* lU2. I always finish one task before taking the facts on others. 133. I enjoy much more than I fear a hazardous undertaking. 133* Jeers bother me even when I know I am right. 135* My minor interests change rather rapidly. 136. I have a vague fear of the future. 137. Let a man keep the law, any law, and his way will be satisfaction* strewn with II48. I enjoy organizing or directing the activities ofotherpeople. 139. Some of m y tastes change rather rapidly. 150. I believe that the individualist is the man who is most likely to discover the best road to a new future. 7 G 146 l5l. It. see.as to me that the v/orld is becoming a much better place to live. 1^2. I am quick to discard the old and accept the new; New fashions, new methods, new ideas. 1^3. I sometimes make useless moves as I go about my work. 15U. I am guided in all m y conduct by firm principles. 155. Unfair criticism sometimes interferes with m y work. 1^6. Once I have decided something is wrong, I always resist the temptation to do it. 157. I almost always feel that people approve of me. 158* I seldom do anything for which anyone could reproach me. 1^9* I feel that 1 have atremendous amount to contribute to other people. 160. The necessity for very careful and precise thinking about acritical problem occasionally upsets me* 161. I have some difficulty in concentrating m y thoughts on one thing for long. 162. At tires 1 have been so entertained by the cleverness of a crook that I have hoped ha would get by with it. 163. In critical periods, I am occasionally irritated and angered by the activities of uninformed acquaintances. 16U. I have fewer fears than my friends. l6p. I ccrti-cl my sexual impulses by instituting prohibitions and res m l o t i o n s » 166. I am disturbed when people severely criticize my way of life. 167. I sometimes start new projects without waiting to finish u p every­ thing that I have been doing. 168. Failure tends to have a rather depressive effect on me. 169. I am a li tile careless about my manner of dress. 170. Even when I !m very excited, I always keep a tight control on myself. 171- I am apt to criticize those who are in authority. 172. I am a rather adventurous person. 173. I enjoy making a speech before a large crowd of people. I7h. I am occasionally lacking in self-confidence. 175. x have criticized workmen who failed to have work done for me on time. 8 147 False 176. I carry a very strict conscience about with me wherever I go. 177* I rather dislike directing the activities of people. 178. I sometimes find it difficult to lead people and maintain them in orde 179. I am very insistent on having all my written 'work extremely neat and well organized. 180. I am a little more of a pessimist than an optimist. l8l. I enjoy helping people with their personal problems. 182. I say what I think about important tilings even if it hurts the feelings of some people. 183. I never blame other people even when they seem to be at fault. 181*• uhen a friend of mine does something that bothers me, I tell about it. him 18£. I hate to eat alone* 186. Vlhen I am in low spirits, I always try to find someone to cheer me up. 187« I am very generous with m y acquaintances. 188. I always try to praise people who are discouraged by their failures. 189* I avoid making people angry at considerable sacrifice of my own interests. 190. I get annoyed when people take up my time for no purpose. 191. Itreat a domineering person in the same way he treats me. 192. I am critical of people whose ideas are not very good. 193. I ignore the personal feelings of other people when it is necessary. 194. 1 approve of the tilings that all the other members of my family do. 195. I am inclined to limit my friends to a few. 196. I an considered by some of my friends as too goodnatured. 197o Igenerally criticize people who do things that are wrong. 198. I accept almost any social invitation rather than stay at home alone. 199* I enjoy eating alone occasionally. 200. 1insist on being able to come and go as I want. 9 201. I l.ike everyone I meet, even those with different interests and goals from mine. 202. I enjoy it immensely when I am left alone with my own thoughts. 203. I prefer to have a fevr close friends rather than many acquaintances. 20l*. X am unhappy if I am alone for very long. 205. I usually try to get things done the way Ithink is right even when it is an inconvenience to others. 206. I li ke to have people around me practically all 207. I like nothing better than parties and dances. 208. I enjoy taking part in any large social affair. the time. 209* I could, become so absorbed in work that greatly interested me that I would not notice the absence of a social life. 210. I sometimes enjoy reading more than social gatherings. 211. I would rather live alone than have a not too congenial roommate. 212. I usually enjoy spending an evening alone. 213. I always prefer to work with others. 21i*. I am as helpful as possible with everyone I meet. 215. I feel that other people have not been the most important thing in my life. 216. Books have sometimes been more entertaining to me than companions. 217. I take great pains not to hurt feelings of even unpleasant people. 218. I would dislike intensely any work which would take me into isolation for weeks at a time. 219» I have sometimes used threats of force to accomplish desirable goals. 220. I genuinely like everyone I get to know. 221. I have always been very close to my parents. 222. Y/hen 1 disagree with people, I tell them so. 223* I believe that everyonefs intentions are good. 22b •> I almost always forgive people who hurt me. 225. I always feel even the minor interests of others as if they v/ere m y own. 10-. e 149 226. I sometimes ignore peoole I dislike. 227* I sometimes tell people frankly what I think of them. 228. I don't enjoy being in a crowd just to be with people. 229. I frequently enjoy making things more than being with people. 230. I sometimes find people not very stimulating. 231. I generally criticize my acquaintances when I disapprove of their behavior. 232. I usually enjoy spending an evening alone. 233* I dislike it when I am with people constantly. 23U. Ylhen I'm alone, I frequently turn on the radio or TV just to hear ana see people. 235. Peoole are much more stimulating to me than anything else. 236. I enjoy big parties and social gathering more than almost anything. 237. I always like to be with people rather than alone. 233. I am somewhat intolerant of people vjho bore me. 239. I have sometimes crossed the street to avoid meeting unpleasant acquaintances„ 2U0. I am in m y element when I am in a crowd of people. 150 Scale III Instructions' I. Folloviing are lists of adjectives or phrases describing behaviors and characteristics of a homemaker. From each group of words or phrases we would like you to select the most important four which picture how you feel a homemaker under economic circumstances similar to your own should behave. bhat kind of a home should the homemaker run? cheerful relaxed clean modern orderly II. Pick ij. ___ being a companion to the husband cooking ~ buying of clothes * meal planning ~ housekeeping Yfhich of the following characteristics would be most desirable in a homemaker? Pick U good-natured ka.rf "" intelligent modest “ 2. Pra^ d c a l ^ IV. cosy efficient fashionable comfortable ~ ~ quiet Yihat should be the most important duties to the homemaker? mending of clothes helping her husbandTs career dish washing entertaining disciplining the children HI. Pick J4 progressive - planful ingenious self-controlled thrifty Yfhich of the following activities should the homemaker consider to be the most important? Pick b a helper in her husbandTs job an earner of outside income to help support the family a keeper of the family social responsibilities ~ an organiser of the household ~ a painter, decorator 5 and beautifier of the home an entertainer of friends and associates * a sexual companion to her husband an establisher of a comfortable home “ a handler of the family finances a comoanion to her children 2 :fich or the following attributes should a homemaker have? ambitious charming energetic good at baking serves variety of meals VI. calm cooperative friendly good canner of fruitss vegetables, etc. being informed on new ideas raising children socializing with neighbors ___ being interested in husband's work ' decorating the home earning ovm spending money bhich of the following qualities would be most advantageous for the homemaker to have? Pick U sense oi humor careful shopper socially popular good cook nice looking VIII. 151 VJhich of the following activities should the homemaker enjoy performing? Pick U buying foods sewing budgeting finances keeping up own appearance cooking VII. “ Pick b efficient manager financially independent (of husband) enjoys children quick shopper strict disciplinarian of children 'Jhich of the following duties should the homemaker spend most of her time performing? Pick Ij. keeping her husband happy working in local civic enterprises (PTA, Red Cross, etc.) shopping for bargains earning additional family income spending time with the children ~ doing things to help her husband in his job ~~~ planning meals cleaning the house ~ preparing and serving meals keeping ovm appearance trim Scale IV Instructions; I, Following is a similar list of adjectives or phrases describing behaviors and characteristics of a homemaker. From each group of words or phrases we would like you to select the four which most accurately picture yourself. Yfhat kind of a homedo you run? Pick li fashionable orderly cozy efficient relaxed II. comfortable quiet ___ modern cheerful “ Pick h being a companion tothe husband entertaining helping yourhusband*s career dish washing ” meal planning llhich of the following are most characteristic of you? kind practical intelligent modest ingenious IV. clean u/hat do you feel are your most important duties? cooking buying of food disciplining the children housekeeping mending of clothes XU. 152 ~ Pick Jb self-ccr.iroiled good-natured progressive thrifty planful Vihich of the following activities do you consider to be the most important? Pick U an entertainer of friends and associates an earner of outside income to lieip support the family a keeper of the family social responsibilities a hendler of the fanily finances a helper in your husbandTs job a sexual companion to your husband ' ' an establisher of a comfortable home a painter decor at or y and beaut if ier of the home a companion to your children * an organizer of the household 153 2 V. Which of the following attributes do you have? cooperative friendly calm ambitious charming VI. hick li being informed on new ideas serves variety of meals good canner of fruitsvegetables,, etc* energetic good at baking Which of the following activities do you enjoy performing? cooking socializing with neighbors budgeting finances decorating the home sewing VII. VIII. keeping up own appearance raising children earning own spending money buying foods being interested in husband's work IJhich of the following qualities are your greatest asset* efficient manager quick shopper good cook enjoys children socially popular Pick h Pick h ___ nice looking strict disciplinarian with children financially independent (of husband' ~~ careful shopper sense of humor Which of the following duties do you spend most of your time performing? Pick I4. ' ~ “ keeping 7 /our own appearance trim keeping your husband happy cleaning the house working In local civic enterprises (FTA* Ped Cross., etc.) shopping for bargains spending time Ydth the children preparing and serving meals earning additional family inccme planning meals doing things to help your husband in his job. 154 APPENDIX C ITEMS FROM DECISION MAKING SCALE (SCALE I) ARRANGED ACCORDING TO FACTORS IN WHICH THEY AFPEAR Factor Loading Item Item FACTOR A . COST OF FOOD .63 25. Before I go to the store I figure which foods I can buy that will cost the least amount of money. .54 28. I read the newspapers to find which food stores are having specials and I shop at those stores which are having an attractive offer. .52 16. Mien I go food shopping I take and use a pencil and paper, or some other device to aid in figuring. .51 8. I look in the food pages of the newspapers for food items that can be quickly and easily prepared. .45 9. I buy something else when the price of a food item I usually buy goes u d . .42 29. I follow the prices of food very closely. I know when the basic foods have either increased or de­ creased even by only a few cents. .41 24. The meat that I decide to buy is often determined by the number of servings and meals which I have figured it will suppler. .40 22. I compare instructions on various food packages so that I can calculate which foods will be easiest and quickest to prepare. FACTOR B . FRIENDS (INDIRECT) .66 17. I pretty well know what foods my friends like or dislike. .60 14. The meals that we eat are very similar to the meals that our friends eat. FACTOR C. .65 FRIENDS (DIRECT) 13* Conversations with my friends have changed some of food buying habits. ray 155 APPENDIX C (Continued) Factor Loading .50 FACTOR D. Item # 2. Item I have received some excellent ideas about food buying from our friends. PARENTS •65 31* Th® type of meals and the kinds of foods that we eat are entirely different from those of our parents. -.56 23. The meals that my family eats are very similar to the meals that my parents eat or ate. -.49 18. The meals that my family eats are very similar to meals that my s p o used parents eat or ate. -.41 5* FACTOR E. PREPARATION TIKE ♦65 33 * the My parents have given me many receipes and/or ideas on food buying. 1 like to spend as little time as possible preparing meals, that is why I buy the good, frozen, ready made dishes that can be prepared easily. .61 FACTOR F. 34 . I seldom spend more than 30 minutes in preparing the d ay’s largest meal. HUSBAND (DIRECT) .64 36 . ily husband wants nothing to do with the food buying or deciding v/hat to eat. •56 35 * 1 decide how much money our family can or will spend for food. .46 FACTOR G. 20. In our home, I am tie boss of the kitchen and how much and what foods are purchased is my concern. HUSBAND (INDIRECT) .62 15. .56 4, Ny husband tells me how much money can be spent for food» My husband is the business man in this fair;ily. I let him work out the budget and amount we have available for foods. 156 APPENDIX C (Continued) Factor Loading Item —tirt_ _ FACTOR H . Item FOOD VALUE .56 3. The food decisions I make before going to the store are bas^cl primarily on the flavorfuDness and health­ fulness of the food. .17 1. In buying foods I figure the amount of calories and nutrients they contain. FACTOR I. ,6C Fa c t o r FOOD QUALITY 30. j . mass *A9 27. .31 7. .30 li- . When I buy food, I buy the very best quality no matter v/hat the ]rice. media 1 read Consumers’ Union, Consumer;,-’ Research, Changing Times, government public at ions, or conswcr service publicst A n t o get ideas on buying foods. I listen to the information services offered on the radio or TV to find out v/h.ioh to R :. r-yo good end nutrition-,;. I read many magazine articles concerning foods ~nd meals. ITEMS NOT APPEARING IN ABOVE FACTORS 6. Before I go to the ;mrk'-t I make out a complete gro­ cery list. 10. I can tell very quick!;,- when the flavor, freshmen, or "a neamncr. of a food that I have been buying reg­ ularly changes. 11. My spouse's parents have ideas on food buying. given me many recipes 19. My huir.a:ad tells me? what I should buy at the store. PI., I plan my menu, no si for meal, :.i corg 1 ■ . of days in advance, and/or APPENDIX C (Continued) Factor Loading Item # I t e m ____________________________ 26. I figure o u t in advance before going to the store foods and rneals that can be quickly and easily prepared. 32. My friends and I discuss menus, meals and foods with each other. 37. Often before I buy a certain brand of food item, I compare the various sizes to determine the actual cost per ounce for each size. APPENDIX D ABBREVIATIONS OF SCALE 1 Item Abbreviation 1. 2. 3. A. 5. r cheerful relaxed clean modern orderly cozy r*i efficient t • 6. fashionable comfortable 9. 10, quiet 11. mend clothes 12. help h ! career 13, dish washing entertaining 11. 15. discipline child companion to h 16. cooking 17. id. buying of food 19. meal planning 20. housekeeping O-L '!.. good-natured » 22, kind 23. intelligent 24. modest 25. practical 26. progressive 27. planful 26. ingenious 29. self controlled 30. thrifty 31. help h f job 32. earn income 33. 34. 35. family social organizer decorator 36. 37. 3d, 39. 40 . entertainer sexual companion comfortable home handle finances child companion ambitious charming energetic Al. 42. 43. Item — — - ~ - mending of clothes helping her husband’s car* disciplining the children being a companion to the husband - - a helper in her husband’s job — an earner of outside income to help support the family - a keeper of the family social responsibilitie — an organizer of the household — a painter, decorator, and beautifier of the home — an entertainer of friends and associates - a sexual companion to her husband - an establisher of a comfortable home - a handler of the family finances - a companion to her child)-u — 159 APPENDIX D (Continued) Item # Abbreviation 44 • 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. *55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68, 69. 70. 71. 72. good b-