12-06-2013

hdl:1902.1/00029

This survey attempts to characterize the overall psychological and economic profile of married life. A total of 61 couples from a middle-class community within the Oakland, California metropolitan area were interviewed in the summer of 1974. This group was selected to constitute a representative sample of the population of white couples of that region between 30-44 years of age, married at least five years, and in which both partners have attained at least one year of high school. In addition, couples selected for the survey fulfilled one of the following sets of conditions -- either the couple was: (1) childless and both spouses worked at least 20 hours per week; (2) had children living at home and both spouses worked at least 20 hours per week; or (3) had children living at home, but only the husband worked full-time. Topics covered in the extensive interview included the following: basic family and demographic information, educational history and attitudes, religious preferences and behavior, occupational history, effects of work on the marriage, the problems and advantages of child rearing, a daily chores and activities inventory, social life, and sexual behavior. The Murray Research Archive holds some of the information collected in the married couples survey, as well as some numeric file data.

Karen Paige Ericksen, 2009, "Study of Life Experiences in Married Couples, 1974", http://hdl.handle.net/1902.1/00029, Harvard Dataverse, V2

Karen Paige Ericksen

Harvard University

SCR:011273

DataVerse

Dataverse Network Project

SCR:001997