Ethnic variations in perceptions of men's provider role

Relatively little research has examined current perceptions of men's provid er role in light of widespread support for women's employment. This study e xamined attitudes toward provider role enactment and provider role responsi bility and how such views varied by ethnicity, gender, demographic characte ristics, immigration status, acculturation, and community economic conditio ns. Telephone interviews were conducted with 3,213 residents across 21 citi es. The sample was 40% African American, 7% Mexican American, and 53% White . Though there was strong support for dual provider role enactment by femal e and male respondents, beliefs about men's responsibility for family provi sion displayed greater variability. Ethnic minorities, particularly less ac culturated Mexican immigrants, were more likely than Whites to believe that men were responsible for making economic provisions. Favorable economic co nditions for men were associated with a greater emphasis on: male provider responsibilities among Mexican Americans and Whites, whereas the opposite w as true for Blacks. Overall, the findings suggest that one's position in th e socioeconomic structure and the economic potential for men in one's envir onment help shape these attitudes.