The Gendered Nature of Family Communication Work During Transition to Adulthood

• In Event: Family Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 1: Adult Children and Their Parents

Abstract

Inequitable distributions of family work, including both physical and cognitive labor, are common focuses of sociological research, with extant literature focused on women's heightened engagement compared to male partners. An aspect of family life that has not been considered under this frame is the work necessary to maintain connections with an immediate family member who lives outside the home. In this paper, I argue that our current understanding of cognitive labor lacks analysis of how these gendered responsibilities shift—or don’t shift—as young adult children leave the home they share with their families of origin. I utilize a qualitative sample comprised of 51 single, college-aged young adults to examine how immediate family members living in separate homes engage with one another to maintain ties. I argue that cognitive work in this form remains deeply gendered as young adults rely on their mothers to not only maintain communication and, by extension, relationships, but also to act as brokers for children’s relationships with their fathers. Additional consideration is given to how young adults of various gender identities approach these processes.

Author

• Deegan Minchey, Brown University