Gender Norms and Specialization in Household Production: Evidence from a Danish Parental Leave Reform

Anne Sophie Lassen ()
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Anne Sophie Lassen: Department of Economics, Copenhagen Business School, Postal: Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics, Porcelaenshaven 16 A. 1. floor, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark, https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/departments-and-centres/department-of-economics/staff/assleco

No 4-2021, Working Papers from Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper shows that decisions regarding intra-household specializations are determined by gender norms rather than standard economic incentives. To test theoretical predictions of both the standard model of intra-household time allocation and the role of gender identity, social category and prescriptions, I use variation from a Danish parental leave reform. I find large effects among mothers and virtually unchanged behavior among fathers, irrespective of relative earnings in the household. This is consistent with the notion of pay-off from gender identity. Subsequently, I find peer effects among sisters and interpret this as reform-induced prescriptions regarding extensive leave for mothers.

Keywords: Intra-household specialization; Gender norms; Parental leave; Peer effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 J13 J16 J18 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 47 pages
Date: 2021-01-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-eur, nep-gen, nep-lab and nep-soc
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