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Daily Temporal Pathways: A Latent Class Approach to Time Diary Data

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Abstract

Research on daily time and how it is allocated has generally considered the time spent in specific activities. However, social theory suggests that time use is socially patterned whether by social organization, heterogeneity, and/or stratification. Drawing on four broad types of time (contracted, committed, necessary, and free), we use Multinomial Logit Latent Class Analysis to discuss eight daily temporal pathways and associations with individual characteristics. Our analysis highlights the variations and similarities across pathways, the impact of paid work in structuring daily life, the social patterning of sleep and leisure, and socio-demographic profiles of the pathways of working-age Americans.

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Acknowledgments

Funding was provided by National Institutes of Health (Grant No. R01HD053654).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 50 Willey Hall, 225 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Sarah M. Flood & Katie R. Genadek

  2. Minnesota Federal Statistical Research Data Center, U.S. Census Bureau, 50 Willey Hall, 225 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Rachelle Hill

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  1. Sarah M. Flood
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  2. Rachelle Hill
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Correspondence to Sarah M. Flood.

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The research in this paper was undertaken while Rachelle Hill was at the University of Minnesota. Any opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Census Bureau or the University of Minnesota. The research in this paper does not use any confidential Census Bureau information.

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Flood, S.M., Hill, R. & Genadek, K.R. Daily Temporal Pathways: A Latent Class Approach to Time Diary Data. Soc Indic Res 135, 117–142 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-016-1469-0

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