Does the Cultural Context Matter? The effect of a country's gender-role attitudes on female labor supply

Abstract

Despite substantial country variation in gender-role attitudes and female labor supply and theoretical arguments stressing the consequences of contextual attitudes for individual behavior, prior research did not find evidence for an effect of a country's gender-role attitudes on female labor supply. In this study I reassess this finding using a powerful multilevel design on the 2008 wave of the European Values Study on 33 countries. I find a substantial positive and independent effect of a country's egalitarian gender-role attitudes on individual women's odds of labor market attachment. The original, gross effect can for one-fourth be attributed to an effect of individual gender-role attitudes and one-tenth to an institutional effect. These findings indicate that the cultural (attitude) context matters for female labor supply.

How to Divide Paid Work and Unpaid Care between Parents? Comparison of Attitudes in 22 Western Countries

“…Moreover, different country-level factors have proven to be important in determining attitudinal differences in other respects, for example, concerning lone parent families (Mia and Milla). Previous studies (Edlund and Öun 2016;Uunk 2015) have also revealed that there are significant cross-national differences in attitudes toward gender roles at a general level. Therefore, factors related to family policies, labour market practices, and societal gender role ideology at the country-level are possible determinants of attitudes.…”

“…It is likely that, in addition to individual-level factors, country-level factors might play a role in shaping attitudes toward sharing paid work and unpaid care responsibilities. Earlier studies (Böckmann et al 2013;Uunk 2015) have shown that country-level factors shape the actual division of paid work and unpaid care responsibilities. Moreover, different country-level factors have proven to be important in determining attitudinal differences in other respects, for example, concerning lone parent families (Mia and Milla).…”

“…Support for equal earner-carer models is assumed strongest in the Nordic countries and weakest in Eastern European countries, with Continental European, English-speaking, and southern European countries in the middle position (Esping-Andersen 2009; Lewis 2009). We assume that at the country level, stronger support for an equal division of paid work and unpaid care responsibilities is expected in countries where the parental leave system supports fathers' roles as carers, the tradition of mothers as earners is stronger, and societal gender role ideology supports equal gender roles (see e.g., Duvander and Lammi-Taskula 2011;Nergaard 2010;Sainsbury 1994;Uunk 2015;Yu and Lee 2013).…”

Does Paternal Involvement in Childcare Influence Mothers’ Employment Trajectories during the Early Stages of Parenthood in the UK?

“…Cross-national differences in mothers' employment patterns are also shaped by cultural assumptions about gender roles and the position of women (Crompton et al, 2005;Pfau-Effinger, 1998Uunk, 2015). However, questions remain around whether attitudes influence mothers' employment behaviour (e.g.…”

Part-time work and gender inequality in Europe: a comparative analysis of satisfaction with work–life balance

“…Countries vary in regard to gender norms and the relative position of men and women in politics, education, and the labor market (Fahlén, 2014;UNDP, 2010). Societal beliefs and norms about the appropriate roles for men and women influence men's and women's employment options and shape their opportunities to achieve work-life balance (Lyness and Judiesch, 2014;Pfau-Effinger, 2012;Uunk, 2015). In more gender-equal countries, traditional gender roles are less emphasized and both men and women are equally encouraged to engage in work and family roles.…”