1april 28, 2015april 28, 2015april 28, 2015 the division of household labor family sociology

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The Division of Household LaborThe Division of Household Labor

Family SociologyFamily Sociology

22April 18, 2023April 18, 2023

Why study the division of Why study the division of household labor?household labor?

Research on housework has implications for Research on housework has implications for gender inequality in both the work and family gender inequality in both the work and family spheresspheres Good example of the inter-relationship between Good example of the inter-relationship between

two social institutions, the two social institutions, the economyeconomy and and familiesfamilies Research on housework also highlights the Research on housework also highlights the

interplay between the micro and macro levelsinterplay between the micro and macro levels Study of housework shows how gender is Study of housework shows how gender is

socially constructedsocially constructed

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Unequal social change:Unequal social change:Major change in one social institution Major change in one social institution

-- -- the economythe economy -- increase in the percentage of -- increase in the percentage of married women and mothers in the labor married women and mothers in the labor force force

is not met by similar change inis not met by similar change in

-- -- familiesfamilies -- in the amount of household labor -- in the amount of household labor performed by married men/fathersperformed by married men/fathers

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Unequal social change:Unequal social change: In other words – married women and In other words – married women and

mothers have taken on more paid work mothers have taken on more paid work responsibility but still devote more time to responsibility but still devote more time to unpaid family workunpaid family work

While men have not “taken up the slack” at While men have not “taken up the slack” at home in equal amounts of time or home in equal amounts of time or responsibilityresponsibility

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Division of Household LaborDivision of Household Labor

Today we’ll examine the time spent on Today we’ll examine the time spent on houseworkhousework

By wives and husbandsBy wives and husbands

By teen girls and boysBy teen girls and boys

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Division of Household LaborDivision of Household Labor

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports:The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports:

6 in 10 women over age 16 were in the 6 in 10 women over age 16 were in the paid labor forcepaid labor force

61 % of mothers with children under age 3 61 % of mothers with children under age 3 are in the paid labor forceare in the paid labor force

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Labor Force participation rates for Labor Force participation rates for married women, by age of youngest childmarried women, by age of youngest child

Ages 6-17

Under Age 6Under age 6

Ages 6 - 17

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Has Women’s Labor Force Has Women’s Labor Force Participation Slowed?Participation Slowed?

Recent article in the NY Times states Recent article in the NY Times states “Stretched to the Limit, Women Stall “Stretched to the Limit, Women Stall March to Work”March to Work”Argument is that without more help with Argument is that without more help with housework, working mothers have “hit a housework, working mothers have “hit a wall”wall”The increase in women’s labor force The increase in women’s labor force participation has helped fuel economic participation has helped fuel economic growthgrowthSource: New York TimesSource: New York Times, 3/2/2006, 3/2/2006

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Paid Labor Force ParticipationPaid Labor Force Participation

So today about 75 percent of women ages So today about 75 percent of women ages 25-54 are in the paid labor force or actively 25-54 are in the paid labor force or actively seeking workseeking work

Up from 40 percent in the late 1950sUp from 40 percent in the late 1950s

This trend flattened in the 1990sThis trend flattened in the 1990s

Since 2000 the labor force participation Since 2000 the labor force participation rate has declined somewhatrate has declined somewhatSource: New York TimesSource: New York Times, 3/2/2006, 3/2/2006

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Unpaid work: The good newsUnpaid work: The good news

According to a survey by John According to a survey by John RobinsonRobinson

From 1965 to 1985 the time men spent From 1965 to 1985 the time men spent on household labor doubled from 4.6 on household labor doubled from 4.6 hours per week to 10 hours per weekhours per week to 10 hours per week

Over the same period, women reduced Over the same period, women reduced their time spent in housework from 27 their time spent in housework from 27 hours to 20 hourshours to 20 hours

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Unpaid work: The bad newsUnpaid work: The bad news

It appears men are doing a larger It appears men are doing a larger proportion of housework and child care, proportion of housework and child care, but much of this change was due to but much of this change was due to women reducing their time on houseworkwomen reducing their time on housework

Numerous studies based on different data Numerous studies based on different data sources show wives still perform about sources show wives still perform about 2/32/3 of housework, even when they work full-of housework, even when they work full-timetime

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Data from the National Survey of Data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) Families and Households (NSFH) collected from 6,882 husbands and collected from 6,882 husbands and wives on hours spent on 9 household wives on hours spent on 9 household choreschores

1313April 18, 2023April 18, 2023 Source: NSFH, 1993Source: NSFH, 1993

Mean Number of Hours Spent on 9 Household Mean Number of Hours Spent on 9 Household Tasks per Week by Dual-Earner SpousesTasks per Week by Dual-Earner Spouses

0

2

4

6

8

10

Mea

n N

umbe

r

Husbands

Wives

Household Chores and GenderHousehold Chores and Gender

141404/18/2304/18/23

What do you notice about the chart?

Who spends more time on chores?

Who does more of the chores?

And remember these are couples who BOTH have paid jobs

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Wives do a greater number of tasks Wives do a greater number of tasks than husbandsthan husbands

And they spend more time on And they spend more time on houseworkhousework

On average, dual-earner wives spent On average, dual-earner wives spent 3232 hours each week on 9 household taskshours each week on 9 household tasks

Dual-earner husbands spent only Dual-earner husbands spent only 1919 hours per week on same taskshours per week on same tasks

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These same wives spent on average 40 These same wives spent on average 40 hours per week in paid laborhours per week in paid laborWhile, husbands spent 44 hours per While, husbands spent 44 hours per week in paid laborweek in paid laborIn sum, wives spent a total of In sum, wives spent a total of 7272 hours hours per week in paid and unpaid labor, per week in paid and unpaid labor, while husbands spent while husbands spent 6363 hours in paid hours in paid and unpaid labor combinedand unpaid labor combined

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Combined Hours Spent per Week on Housework and Paid Work by Dual-earner

Married Couples

3219

40

44

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Wives Husbands

Paid Work

Housework

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In other words, dual-earner wives spent In other words, dual-earner wives spent 9 more hours per week working than 9 more hours per week working than their husbandstheir husbands

This adds up to 36 hours per monthThis adds up to 36 hours per month

Arlie Hochschild calls wives’ extra work Arlie Hochschild calls wives’ extra work the “Second Shift”the “Second Shift”

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Unpaid work: The worse newsUnpaid work: The worse news

Given significant changes in women’s lives:Given significant changes in women’s lives: 1) 1) Higher labor force participation ratesHigher labor force participation rates2) 2) Changing attitudes toward more gender Changing attitudes toward more gender

equalityequality3) 3) Greater educational opportunities for Greater educational opportunities for

girls…girls…we might expect less gendered division we might expect less gendered division of housework among children?of housework among children?

Youth Time UseYouth Time Use

In the next chart, I show findings from my In the next chart, I show findings from my research on household labor participation research on household labor participation by high school studentsby high school students

These data are from the Youth These data are from the Youth Development SurveyDevelopment Survey

They interviewed all 9They interviewed all 9thth grade high school grade high school students in the St. Paul MN school students in the St. Paul MN school system, and then followed them through system, and then followed them through h.s. and beyondh.s. and beyond

202004/18/2304/18/23

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Weekly hours Spent by Teens on Weekly hours Spent by Teens on Household Tasks, Grades 9 & 12Household Tasks, Grades 9 & 12

17.2

13.1

15

8.9

0

5

10

15

20

9th grade 12th grade

girls boys

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Mean Hours Spent on Selected Mean Hours Spent on Selected Activities – Grade 9Activities – Grade 9

6.7

15.7

6.7

0.6

7.56.0

13.1

8.8

3.7

0.6

0

4

8

12

16

20

Homework Vol. work Paid Job Extra-curr. Hsewrk

girls boys

Source: Youth Development Survey

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Unpaid work: The worse newsUnpaid work: The worse news

In ninth grade, girls spend more time on In ninth grade, girls spend more time on paid work, homework, and housework than paid work, homework, and housework than boysboys

Boys spend more time on extra-curricular Boys spend more time on extra-curricular activities across high schoolactivities across high school

Teen girls are already learning to multi-Teen girls are already learning to multi-task by ninth gradetask by ninth grade

Girls and boys are growing up to expect a Girls and boys are growing up to expect a gendered and unfair division of laborgendered and unfair division of labor

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At the same time, NSFH data also show that:At the same time, NSFH data also show that:

9090 percent of wives and percent of wives and 8181 percent of husbands agree percent of husbands agree with the question “If couples work full-time should they with the question “If couples work full-time should they share household tasks equally?”share household tasks equally?”

7272 percent of dual-earner husbands and percent of dual-earner husbands and 6666 percent of percent of dual-earner wives say the division of household labor is dual-earner wives say the division of household labor is fair to both spousesfair to both spouses

But we just saw that they don’t divide the housework But we just saw that they don’t divide the housework equally!equally!

What explains these conflicting data?What explains these conflicting data?

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Wives' & Husbands' Perceptions of Fairness of the Division of Household Labor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Very unf towife

Unfair to wife Fair to both Somewhat unfto husb

Very unf. tohusb

Per

cen

t Wife

Husband

Why do couples say things Why do couples say things should be equal?should be equal?

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My research shows that women compare their division of labor to other women they know i.e.sisters, friends, co-workersMost of these women also do more housework, so by comparison, things don’t seem unfairIf they compared themselves to their husbands, then they might say “hey this isn’t fair!” (Gager, 1998)Couples I interviewed also made justifications like men just cannot do laundry or women are not good at mowing the lawn?Really – is a washer and dryer so hard to use?

Sex and Housework LinkSex and Housework Link

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704500604574485351638147312.html

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/shows/lxnewyork/Does_the_Couple_That_Cleans_Together_Stay_Together__All__National_.html

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The Second ShiftThe Second Shift

Arlie Hochschild reviews data on the Arlie Hochschild reviews data on the division of household labordivision of household labor

Shows that women are working a “second Shows that women are working a “second shift” of housework, after they work at their shift” of housework, after they work at their paid jobpaid job

She also talks about how wives compare She also talks about how wives compare themselves to other women – not to their themselves to other women – not to their own husbandsown husbands

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What is the stalled revolution?What is the stalled revolution?• Unequal social changeUnequal social change

• Women have entered the labor force, but Women have entered the labor force, but men are not doing equal amounts of work in men are not doing equal amounts of work in the homethe home


• Joey’s Problem: Nancy & Evan HoltJoey’s Problem: Nancy & Evan Holt

• How did you answer the questions for How did you answer the questions for Assignment 6? Assignment 6?

• Hochschild describes the family myths used Hochschild describes the family myths used by couple Nancy and Evan Holtby couple Nancy and Evan Holt

• In other words, she tells the story they make In other words, she tells the story they make up about their division of labor but what is up about their division of labor but what is the real story according to Hochschild?the real story according to Hochschild?

3030April 18, 2023April 18, 2023

The Second ShiftThe Second Shift• Joey’s Problem: Nancy & Evan HoltJoey’s Problem: Nancy & Evan Holt

• See Assignment 8? See Assignment 8?

1. According to Hochshcild, what is the 1. According to Hochshcild, what is the “Second Shift?” “Second Shift?”

2. Briefly describe the story of Evan and 2. Briefly describe the story of Evan and Nacy Holt. Nacy Holt.

3. Hochschild argues that families create 3. Hochschild argues that families create “myths” about their division of household “myths” about their division of household labor. Describe the family myth created by labor. Describe the family myth created by Nancy and Evan Holt. Nancy and Evan Holt.

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The Second ShiftThe Second Shift• Joey’s Problem: Nancy & Evan HoltJoey’s Problem: Nancy & Evan Holt

• Assignment 6? Assignment 6?

4. According to Hochschild, what is the 4. According to Hochschild, what is the purpose of family myths? purpose of family myths?

5. Was this reading surprising to you and 5. Was this reading surprising to you and why? How do you imagine you will divide why? How do you imagine you will divide family work (including child care) in your family work (including child care) in your own marriage or cohabitation? own marriage or cohabitation?

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Families and unpaid work: Families and unpaid work: Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?

SummarySummaryGirls and women perform more household Girls and women perform more household labor than their male peers – even when they labor than their male peers – even when they work full-timework full-timeHochschild calls this the “Second Shift”Hochschild calls this the “Second Shift”If women and girls continue to do more If women and girls continue to do more unpaid labor, will we see real change in unpaid labor, will we see real change in gender inequality at the macro and micro gender inequality at the macro and micro levels?levels?If we do not close the gender gap at home, If we do not close the gender gap at home, can we close the gender gap at work?can we close the gender gap at work?

1april 28, 2015april 28, 2015april 28, 2015 the division of household labor family sociology

Documents

paid labor force slide

paid labor force participation

responsibility slide

constructed slide

married menfathers slide

unpaid work

paid work responsibility

women stall