ETHNIC LIVING ARRANGEMENTS - CULTURAL-CONVERGENCE OR CULTURAL MINIFESTATION

Two competing hypotheses based on the relationship between living arrangements, social class, and cultural factors are developed. These hypotheses are examined for a sample of unmarried elderly Hispanic females, employing logistic regression techniques with data from the 1980 census. Support is found for the hypothesis that as economic status increases, the impact of cultural factors on living arrangement status diminishes. This result holds for Mexican American and Peurto Rican women but not for Cuban women.