IDEOLOGICAL BELIEFS ABOUT FAMILY PRACTICES - CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES AMONG NORTH INDIAN FAMILIES

Ninety-two dual-wage and 103 single-wage Indian families with a presch ool-age child residing in extended and nuclear households provided ass essments regarding their beliefs about the division of household chore s, financial responsibilities, childcare, and filial obligations. Anal ysis focused on possible differences in belief structures that may be attributed to the gender of the parent, family structural living arran gement, and maternal employment outside of the home. Husbands and wive s did not differ in ideological beliefs on any of the components asses sed, but differences did emerge as a function of family structural arr angements and whether or not the wife worked outside of the home. Data are discussed in terms of possible changes in ideological beliefs abo ut family functions and practices and the broader socio-cultural facto rs operating within Indian society.