Meaning and measurement: Reconceptualizing measures of the division of household labor

This article argues that task-specific measures of the division of househol d labor form a gender hierarchy that reflects dimensions of meaning in the organization of household work. We contrast these measures to the commonly used time-share and Likert scale measures, which assume ail tasks are inter changeable. Using Guttman scaling, we test the unidimensionality of this ta sk hierarchy. Using adds ratios, we measure relationships between specific tasks, and using logistic regression, we see differences in correlates of h usbands' participation by task and interrelationships among tasks that pers ist, controlling for gender ideology and socioeconomic factors. This work s hould encourage development of measures of change in the segregation of hou sehold tasks by gender.