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Abstract
This study applies the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985) to examine the determinants of household task behavior. To examine actor and partner effects simultaneously, the actor-partner interdependence model (Kenny & Cook, 1999) was employed using structural equation modeling with bootstrapping. Husbands and wives gender role attitudes and wives perceptions of social norms were related to the amount of housework performed by wives, but neither actor nor partner effects were detected for the influence of attitudes or social norms on husbands completion of housework. However, wives reporting high levels of behavioral control over their own housework behavior had husbands who performed more housework. Additional analyses were conducted to examine household task completion by each sex. Household task performance remained largely sex-segregated. Overall, husbands estimated that wives perform fewer tasks in an average month than wives reported performing, but wives estimated that husbands perform more traditionally masculine tasks than husbands reported performing. Suggestions are presented for future research.