Couple Specialization in Multiple Equilibria

Abstract

The division of domestic work bears little resemblance to the ideals of rational specialization espoused in Becker's (1991) theory. Many sociologists explain this as a manifestation of 'doing gender'. We argue that a multiple equilibrium framework can help account for variations in couple specialization. The framework is dynamic, highlights the presence of competing normative regimes, and it helps empirical identification of Pareto optimal and non-optimal couple specialization. To compensate for the lack of longitudinal data, we seek to capture dynamics by analyzing time use data for three countries that represent distinct stages in the ongoing gender revolution, namely Britain, Denmark and Spain. We identify a traditional, egalitarian and unstable family equilibrium and argue that inefficient and inequitable specialization is primarily associated with the lack of clear normative guidance within unstable equilibria. The traditional equilibrium remains dominant in Spain while Denmark has advanced considerably towards an egalitarian equilibrium. In Britain, the traditional equilibrium is now marginal but no egalitarian alternative has yet emerged. Inefficiency in couple behaviour is therefore especially pronounced. Our equity analyses yield surprising results since we find more equity in Britain than in Denmark. Widespread inequity within Danish couples is almost exclusively due to women being advantaged.

Family migration in a cross-national perspective: The importance of institutional and cultural context

“…In contexts where gender-traditional attitudes prevail, work-family balance policies do not impact fertility levels as positively as in contexts where gender-egalitarian attitudes are the norm. This is because uncertainty about women's role leads to dilemmas around women's participation in work and family life (McDonald 2006;Budig, Misra, and Boeckmann 2012;Esping-Andersen et al 2013;Boeckmann, Misra, and Budig 2015).…”

Unequal Family Lives

“…In addition to Goode's long-standing narrative about why the socioeconomic gradient of divorce would become negative, contemporary reasons have been proposed as to why the socioeconomically advantaged are less likely to divorce. These include a higher prevalence of egalitarianism among the educated, which could stabilize relationships (Esping-Andersen et al 2013;Goldscheider, Bernhardt, and Lappegård 2015), and greater internal barriers to divorce caused by common investments and commitment to relationships (Boertien and Härkö nen 2018). Table 7.1 shows the prevalence of different family types and the extent to which they are more common among low-educated mothers across countries.…”

Horarios laborales de los progenitores y su incidencia en el rendimiento académico de alumnos de primaria. Efectos diferenciales del género

“…En primer lugar, pocos estudios han investigado las consecuencias de los horarios labores no estándar en el rendimiento de alumnos de primaria en España que, como otros países del sur de Europa, se caracteriza por tener unas determinadas políticas de convivencia familiar (Lewis, 2009) y una tendencia por parte de ambos progenitores a cumplir largas jornadas laborales (Esping-Andersen, Boertien, Bonke, & Gracia, 2013;Gracia & Kalmijn, 2016). En segundo lugar, la mayoría de los estudios realizados analizan de forma conjunta el papel de los progenitores.…”