Expected Versus Actual Work Roles of Women

This paper examines the impact of women's long-range work plans for mid life on actual work behavior at that age for a cohort of women who were 35 in 1980. We hypothesized that work plans would significantly affect actual behavior at mid life, and moreover, would modify the effects of many variables typically associated with women's employment. Our findings indicate plans did influence subsequent behavior, largely reflecting the realization of plans for those who expected to be employed. Further, marital and fertility status considerably influenced the labor force behavior only of those who expected to be at home, while employment history affected the employment only for those expecting to be employed. These results suggest: (I) demographic and economic change over the 1970s differentially affected this cohort's ability to actualize plans for mid life; and (2) She employment behavior of those who planned to be full-time housewives may be a transitory response to changes in their domestic roles.