Social Order and Energy Consumption in Matrifocal Households

The positive association between energy used and social complexity proposed by Leslie White and his students is examined at the microsociological level of the household. The hypothesis is tested within matrifocal households supported either by welfare or by the mother's earnings. White's m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human ecology : an interdisciplinary journal 1979-03, Vol.7 (1), p.21-39
Main Author: Klausner, Samuel Z.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automobiles
Budget allocation
Complex/Complexity
Consumption/Consumptive
Economic costs
Electricity
Energy
Energy consumption
Homes
Household budgets
Household consumption
Household/Households
Households
Matrifocal
Social order
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Summary:The positive association between energy used and social complexity proposed by Leslie White and his students is examined at the microsociological level of the household. The hypothesis is tested within matrifocal households supported either by welfare or by the mother's earnings. White's macrosociological proposition is found to be conditional on other cultural, social organizational factors. Household energy consumption rises to the extent that the family establishes ties with outside social organizations, with an increase in the tempo of household activity, and, pari passu, with the expressiveness of the personality of the female household head. Energy consumption is a way of coping with the effects of reduced social organizational and personality order. These social factors interact with demographic and technological factors in determining a social organization's level of energy consumption. By considering the institutional, organizational, and motivational measures suggested in this paper, the unreliability of energy use predictions may be reduced.
ISSN:0300-7839
1572-9915
DOI:10.1007/BF00889350