Gender Differences in Perceptions of Household Labor

Abstract

The perceptions of household labor contributions of 277 individuals were examined. At the time of the study, participants were married or cohabiting, although no couples participated. The relationship between perceptions of contributions to household labor and the independent variables of gender ideology, a wife's relative contribution to family income, a husband's time availability, and family demographic variables were studied. Responses of people in dual-earner arrangements were compared with responses of people in households in which the woman was a full-time homemaker. In dual-earner families, the woman's relative contribution to family income and number of children were negatively associated with perceptions of her contributions to household tasks relative to those of her partner. In both dual-earner arrangements and situations in which the wife was a full-time homemaker, a statistically significant association was found between the perceived division of household labor and gender. Women were more likely than men to report that a woman contributes significantly more to housework than the man. Men in dual-earner relationships reported the smallest contribution to household labor by women.