Gender Differences in Identities and Their Sociostructural Correlates: How Gendered Lives Shape Parental and Work Identities

Abstract

This study draws on identity theory to explore parental and work identities. It examined gender differences in identities, as well as the moderating role of gender in the effects of individuals' sociostructural characteristics. A sample of 148 couples with young children completed extensive questionnaires. As hypothesized, couples' paid-work strategy moderated gender differences in the salience and centrality of parental and work identities. Whereas significant differences in identities were found between stay-at-home mothers and their breadwinning husbands, no differences were found among dual-earner couples. Moreover, men's work identity centrality increased when they had more and younger children, whereas women's work identity centrality decreased. Finally, men's parental identity centrality increased with their income, whereas women's parental identity centrality decreased the more they earned. These findings attest to the importance of examining differences within as well as between genders, by taking into account the interactive effects of gender with other sociostructural characteristics.

Are Children a Joy or a Burden? Individual- and Macro-level Characteristics and the Perception of Children

“…Yet women experienced more joy seeing children grow up and they also expressed less negative attitudes-contrary to our expectations. Perhaps because men perceive themselves as the main providers for the family, they also perceive children as costly more than women do, while most women see children as more central to their identity (Cinamon and Rich 2002;Gaunt and Scott 2017). Also, most women may prefer to combine work and family, as Hakim (2002) argues, and therefore do not see themselves as the main providers or children as an obstacle to self-fulfilment.…”

“…At the same time, in some countries, even in contemporary societies, motherhood is perceived as a defining characteristic of womanhood (Hakim 2002;Henz 2008). Hence, women more than men might perceive children as contributing to their happiness and to their social role and identity (Cinamon and Rich 2002;Gaunt and Scott 2017).…”

“…Some studies find that women are less likely than men to view children as central (Jones and Brayfield 1997;Kaufman and Goldscheider 2007). Others, however, found no differences (Henz 2008) or found that women had more positive attitudes towards children than men and saw them as central to their identity and parental role (Cinamon and Rich 2002;Gaunt and Scott 2017). Children were found to be less central for less religious individuals, and for those holding less traditional attitudes towards gender roles (Gubernskaya 2010;Jones and Brayfield 1997;Yucel 2015).…”

An Analysis of Factors Associated With Older Workers’ Employment Participation and Preferences in Australia

“…Further, although work centrality emerged as an important factor associated with participation and preferences, additional information may be needed to implement direct management or policy intervention. For instance, interventions to increase work centrality may be enhanced by developing better understanding of its correlates and antecedents, such as gender and parental identities, parental responsibilities, and job satisfaction (Mannheim et al, 1997; Gaunt and Scott, 2017), and identifying those most likely to respond to intervention. Other limitations that should be acknowledged are the use of dichotomous variables (Cohen, 1983) and the inability to determine the importance of particular established and emerging factors across different industries.…”

Hazy Transition to Fatherhood: The Experiences of Czech Fathers

“…L. Fox & Bruce, 2001; Gaunt & Scott, 2014; Goldberg, 2014). The interactive effect of gender and other socioeconomic characteristics have been recognized in this respect; the central work identity role of men increases on having more and younger children, whereas that of women decreases (Gaunt & Scott, 2016). Again, this indicates that the parental roles of fathers and mothers are markedly different.…”