The gendered division of housework

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Despite progress in gender equity, traditional gendered activities and roles persist within households.
• This study investigates the continued existence of gender roles at the domestic level.
• Gender roles are conceptualized through four dimensions: male instrumentality (in/out of home) and female expressiveness/instrumentality (in home).

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if gendered household activities still exist in contemporary societies.
• To analyze the structure of gender roles within the household.
• To evaluate different dimensional models for understanding household gender roles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Gender Roles Questionnaire (GRQ).
• Surveyed 98 women and 86 men.
• Employed statistical analysis to compare dimensional models.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were found in the frequency of household activities performed by men and women.
• A four-dimensional model provided a superior fit to the data compared to one- and two-dimensional models.
• The findings support distinct domains for male and female household roles.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms the persistence of gendered household activities.
• The results have implications for research methodologies in gender studies.
• Educational approaches may need to address and adapt to these persistent gender roles.