Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-Time Work Make the Family Happier?

Alison Booth and Jan van Ours

No 1884, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Taking into account inter-dependence within the family, we investigate the relationship between part-time work and happiness. We use panel data from the new Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia Survey. Our analysis indicates that part-time women are more satisfied with working hours than full-time women. Partnered women's life satisfaction is increased if their partners work full-time. Male partners' life satisfaction is unaffected by their partners' market hours but is increased if they themselves are working full-time. This finding is consistent with the gender identity hypothesis of Akerlof and Kranton (2000).

Keywords: gender identity; happiness; part-time work (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 J16 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2005-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

Published - published in: Economica, 2009, 76 (301), 176-196

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Related works:
Journal Article: Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part‐time Work Make the Family Happier? (2009)
Working Paper: Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-time Work make the Family Happier? (2006)
Working Paper: Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-time Work make the Family Happier? (2006)
Working Paper: Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-time Work Make the Family Happier? (2005)
Working Paper: Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-Time Work Make the Family Happier? (2005)
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