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Patterns of everyday activities across social contexts

Author

Listed:
  • Giacomo Vagni

    (Department of Sociology, Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1NF, United Kingdom)

  • Benjamin Cornwell

    (Department of Sociology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853)

Abstract

Social-scientific theory and research give rise to conflicting expectations regarding the extent to which individuals’ everyday lives in modern society follow predictable patterns of behavior. Much previous research has addressed this issue implicitly by documenting widespread trends in patterns of “time use” or “time allocation,” including trends in time devoted to paid work, unpaid work, and leisure. This study expands on this research by examining common patterns with respect to not how much time individuals spend on certain everyday activities (e.g., leisure), but rather how those activities are sequenced throughout the day. Using sequence methods and cluster analysis, we analyze a large collection of harmonized time diaries from the Multinational Time Use Study (MTUS), including diaries from 23 countries and dating back to 1961. Our analysis of these diaries reveals eight common everyday sequence patterns—including different paid work, unpaid work, and leisure clusters. This same set of patterns reappears in a generally similar distribution across the different countries and time periods that are included in the MTUS sequence data. This study has implications for how analysts study time diary data and raises important questions about the causes and consequences of individuals’ experiences with particular behavioral sequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Giacomo Vagni & Benjamin Cornwell, 2018. "Patterns of everyday activities across social contexts," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 115(24), pages 6183-6188, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nas:journl:v:115:y:2018:p:6183-6188
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jed A. Long & Jinhyung Lee & Darja Reuschke, 2023. "Activity graphs: Spatial graphs as a framework for quantifying individual mobility," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 377-402, July.
    2. Talja Blokland & Robert Vief & Daniela Krüger & Henrik Schultze, 2023. "Roots and routes in neighbourhoods. Length of residence, belonging and public familiarity in Berlin, Germany," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(10), pages 1949-1967, August.
    3. Giacomo Vagni, 2019. "Alone Together: Gender Inequalities in Couple Time," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 487-509, December.
    4. Zahnow, Renee & Abewickrema, Wanuji, 2023. "Examining regularity in vehicular traffic through Bluetooth scanner data: Is the daily commuter the regular road user?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    5. Garcia, Harrison, 2020. "Improving time use and self-efficacy increases task performance: validation of a novel process," OSF Preprints z8mwn, Center for Open Science.
    6. Sayaka Kurosawa & Ai Shibata & Kaori Ishii & Mohammad Javad Koohsari & Koichiro Oka, 2021. "Identifying typologies of diurnal patterns in desk-based workers’ sedentary time," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(4), pages 1-13, April.

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