The Effects of Industrialization on Men's Attitudes toward the Extended Family and Women's Rights: A Cross-National Study

Abstract

This paper assesses the impact of industrialization on men 's attitudes toward extendedfamily authority and toward women's rights. Interview data were obtained in a larger study from male factory workers in India, Bangladesh, Israel, Nigeria, Argentina, and Chile. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identify two empirically distinct ideologiesbelief in independence from the extended family, and belief in women's rights outside but not necessarily inside the home. Multiple regression analysis shows that different aspects of industrialization have direct impacts on each of the two ideologies, but when total effects are considered, education and living standard are the primary determinants of both across several cultures.