AGE-DIFFERENCES AND AGE-CHANGES IN ACTIVITIES - BALTIMORE LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF AGING

This study examines cross-sectional age differences, longitudinal age changes, and secular changes in obligatory, committed, and discretiona ry activities, using activity questionnaires completed by men and wome n participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging between 19 58 and 1992. (1) Time spent, on obligatory activities and passive leis ure is greatest, and on committed activities and active leisure least, for older adults. (2) Longitudinal patterns usually mirror cross-sect ional ones. There are pronounced exceptions for women whose paid work time has been increasing and housework decreasing, while cross-section al patterns show the reverse. (3) Over recent decades, time in committ ed activities shifted in opposite ways for men and women. Men decrease d paid work and increased housework, repairs and yardwork, shopping, a nd child-care, while women increased paid work and decreased housework . In sum, the age structure of activities has persisted in the midst o f new social opportunities; gender roles have proven more malleable th an age roles.