The roles within personal relationships have evolved throughout the years. What was once a "traditional" role within a household is now considered outdated and old-fashioned. These roles have been influenced by many factors, one of those being higher education. A study was conducted to examine how those roles have been influenced by higher education. In the late 1940's, many U.S. women stayed home, raised their children and did not work outside the home unless there was a missing male figure to provide for the family. Although women may have wanted to venture into the workforce, it wasn't widely accepted. However, a Census Bureau study in 1948 found that 17 million women were in the paid labor force (Walker 1998).