The Immigrant Experience: Houstonians’ Family Attitudes and Behaviors

• In Event: 220 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 19. Defining Family and Family Values

Abstract

As the United States grows increasingly diverse, it will be crucial to understand what, if any, differences in families’ behaviors and attitudes exist across all racial and ethnic groups. This study examines data from the 2011 Houston Area Survey in order to compare family behaviors and attitudes across four racial/ethnic groups in the Houston metropolitan area. In particular, this study examines three behaviors (marital status, number of children, and interracial unions) and two attitudes (maternal employment and same-sex marriage) of native-born Whites, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and Latinos, along with foreign-born Asians and Latinos. Our behavioral results suggest that as Houston becomes increasingly diverse, the family behaviors of the city may change, as non-Whites are more likely to be involved with interracial unions and have, on average, more children than whites do. On the other hand, our attitudinal results support more classic, linear assimilation theories, with only immigrant groups holding different views toward maternal employment than Whites.

Authors

• Amy E. Lucas, University of Houston-Clear Lake

• Stephen Michael Cherry, University of Houston-Clear Lake