The effect of social gender norms on parental leave uptake intentions: evidence from two survey experiments on prospective fathers and mothers

Jens Agerström, Magnus Carlsson and Asuman Erenel

Applied Economics, 2023, vol. 55, issue 53, 6277-6293

Abstract: We investigate how social gender norms influence parental leave uptake intentions by conducting two separate survey experiments on prospective fathers (N = 877) and mothers (N = 882) in the UK. In a between-subjects design, we manipulate social gender norms by varying information on the average number of days that other fathers and mothers stay at home to take care of a child during the first year after childbirth. We find that when prospective parents (both genders) are exposed to the low staying-home-with-children norm, they plan less parental leave uptake compared to the control (no norm) group. When exposed to the high staying-home-with-children norm, men (but not women) plan more parental leave uptake compared to the control group. We discuss policy implications and suggest directions for future studies.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2022.2142192

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