Gender norms, fairness and relative working hours within households

Sarah Flèche, Anthony Lepinteur and Nattavudh Powdthavee

Labour Economics, 2020, vol. 65, issue C

Abstract: Using data in the United States, UK and Germany, we show that women whose working hours exceed those of their male partners report lower life satisfaction on average. By contrast, men do not report lower life satisfaction from working more hours than their female partners. An analysis of possible mechanisms shows that in couples where the woman works more hours than the man, women do not spend significantly less time doing household chores. Women with egalitarian ideologies are likely to perceive this unequal division of labour as unfair, ultimately reducing their life satisfaction.

Keywords: Fairness; Gender identity; Life satisfaction; Relative working hours; Housework (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 J12 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (36)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:labeco:v:65:y:2020:i:c:s0927537120300701

DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2020.101866

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