Relational Identity and the Division of Household Labor

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Abstract
Data collected from an area probability sample of 90 unmarried and 148 married couples were used to determine whether the degree to which individuals viewed themselves in relational terms (relational identity) was associated with the types of household responsibilities they reported performing. For both males and females, relational identity was found to be a significant predictor of the performance of those tasks typically carried out by women. However, for those tasks typically carried out by men, relational identity significantly pre-dicted non-performance for women only. Additionally, more hours worked outside the home led to lower levels of relationship satisfaction for women high in relational identity compared with women low in relational identity. The performance of household tasks is discussed in terms of their relevance to proper maintenance and care of the relationship.