Two studies, worked out in different moments in the same period (1900-1950), have pointed to some significant differences in the way families living in São Paulo (city ?) brought up their children and consequently in the way men and women have acted towards work and family life. The first study was focused on families originated from Brazilian middle and lower social and economic classes living in the capital city of São Paulo - nevertheless coming from inland -. The second one was focused on families from Portuguese origin resident in the interior of São Paulo state. In both researches, a French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's theory was applied, as their conceptual basis - especially habitus concept strategies and economic, social and cultural capital, oral reports from two generations' members were used as data source. Independent from their social and economic classes, we have noticed that there was a distinction between the upbringing transmitted by Brazilian parents to their sons and to their daughters: whenever possible, teenage girls are not allowed to work outside the home; it was just when necessary that they should be admitted to work outside the family sphere. Among cultivated values by Brazilian families, school education must be a relevant point, as it was considered a way of social ascension. Portuguese origin families, on the other hand, evaluated work so much that teenage girls were expected to participate in family work as hard as young men and only when taking care of a baby, a woman could be moved away from work activity.

Education work Habitus Portuguese and Brazilian families

educational status immigrant immigration human economic aspect controlled study Aged social interaction socialization marriage income family life male female socioeconomics cultural factor Article family relation social class work capacity