Cognitive Acrobatics in the Construction of Worker-mother Identity

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-20-2007

Publication Source

Sex Roles: A Journal of Research

Volume Number

57

Issue Number

5

First Page

447

Last Page

459

Publisher

Springer

ISSN

0360-0025

E-ISSN

1573-2762

Abstract

This study uses dialectical theory to explore the interaction of worker identity (perceived financial need and job/career identity) and intensive mothering expectations in mothers’ identity construction. This study is based on extensive interviews with 98 at-home, part-time employed and full-time employed mothers of one or more pre-school children from the Midwestern United States. The narrative analysis reveals that mothers embrace intensive mothering expectations. Because of these cultural expectations, mothers must modify either societal mothering expectations or worker expectations in order to construct an integrated worker–mother identity. We found that while at-home mothers can embrace intensive mothering expectations, employed mothers engage in cognitive acrobatics to manage the tension between employment and the dominant mothering ideology.

Keywords

Identity construction, Intensive mothering expectations, Discursive analysis worker–parent identity

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