Who Lives with the In-Laws? Comparing Living Arrangements After Marriage in Taiwan and Japan
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Takagi, Aiko
Abstract
Historically, in traditional East Asian society, the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter -in-law would be an important factor in determining the relationship of the two generations after marriage. In modern society, living arrangements after marriage have already deviated from traditional norms. The wife, husband, and the husband’s parents (or other relatives) are able to choose with whom to live, based on their individual needs. In modern East Asian, traditional norms is losing influence in the decision to live in a multigenerational home. Many Japanese scholars point out several important factors that affect living arrangement after marriage. In East Asia, there has been a clear tendency towards nuclear families. The multigenerational households is becoming increasingly scarce in Japan. In contrast, over 16 percent of the Taiwanese still live in a multigenerational household. What factors have influenced the decision of Taiwanese individuals to live with their in-laws after marriage? This study uses the data taken from the 2005 Social Stratification and Social Mobility (SSM) survey and uses the logistic regression model to analyze factors associated with the decision to live with the parents-in-laws. Based on Tabuchi’s theory of cohabitation needs, this study explores how economic status and cultural norms affect whether to live with parent-in-laws in two societies. Since Taiwanese and Japanese cultural norms differ the frequency of living together with one’s in-laws also differs in the two countries. In Taiwan, the cultural norm is for parents to take turns living with their children. If the husband has lower socioeconomic status, pre-school age children, or few brothers; the likelihood of living with his parents tends to be noticeably higher. In Japan, there are cultural norms such as women bearing responsibility for raising children and caring for one’s parents out of respect. If the husband’s socioeconomic status is lower, if he is the eldest son, or has few brothers the likelihood of living together increases considerably. Research finds that instances of multigenerational homes in Taiwanese society have not decreased as much as in Japan. This is primarily because Taiwan does not have the same expectation that wives should raise. The younger married generation cannot financially support themselves, so Taiwanese couples work and rely on the older generation to help care for the children at home.
Subjects
Living arrangements
Multi-generational households
Family strategies
Family functionalism
Taiwan-Japan comparison
Type
thesis
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