How does an educational difference between couples associated with gender division of work between paid and unpaid work?

Education Disparity

  1. Do you think education has an impact on gender division of labour at home?
  2. Have you ever engaged in female roles at home? If yes, please specify what roles did you perform?
  3. Do you think educational achievement of women affect relationships with their husbands in terms of what roles they need to perform at home?
  4. As an educated woman, do you think your husband should help you with house chores? If yes, what roles do you prefer they perform?
  5. What challenges do educated women undergo when there is need to balance between paid and unpaid work?
  6. Do you think maternity leave affects the amount of pay women receive despite same educational achievements with male counterparts?

 

Gender Ideology

  1. Do you believe there is gender roles people should follow?
  2. In the present society, do you think there is disparity in the impacts of gender roles in men and women?
  3. How does a person’s upbringing affect their gender roles?
  4. What is your opinion about gender stereotypes? does gender roles still remain in most societies?
  5. What is the belief in your culture about masculine and feminine roles?

 

Conducting Interview

A tape recorder was used to gather information from all respondents. Interviews were kept short, lasting ten minutes.

Summary of Findings

The themes of the study contributed to the understanding of the factors that affect the division of labour between paid and unpaid work. The respondents’ responses supported the findings of other studies about social norms as a driver to the research topic. The rise in formal education, western influences and gender policies has led to new ways to think about how gender affects the division of labour at home and work (Chesley and Flood, 2017). Most respondents pointed out the role of masculinity in the division of labour and how it resists changes in home work roles. Most males felt they could not engage in home work because social norms dictate they engage in masculine jobs. Education had a substantial impact on gendered roles. For example, educated male respondents held less conservative views about females engaging in feminine roles and men engaging in masculine roles. Some male respondents stated there is no harm in taking up female home roles, particularly when their wives are not around. However, they mentioned that childbirth roles are the responsibility of the females.

New norms, attitudes, and practices existed alongside conventional ideologies and beliefs. The influence of education significantly affected gender roles. For example, some shifted their daily roles and resisted some social norms. Some respondents framed men’s participation in unpaid work in such a manner that left ideologies untouched for masculinity. The approach facilitated adherence to the ideologies of men as inherently superior and permitted more gender-equal norms and practices within contexts of masculine domination. Thus, the themes improved understanding of education differences, social norms, and gender ideologies in the gendered division of labour between paid and unpaid work. Also, the findings showed that social norms were significant factors that contributed to the gap in labour division and are constructed as well as deconstructed, contested, and reinforced via interactions within power relations.

Interview Experience

The purpose of the interview was to gather information from respondents about the division of labour between paid and unpaid work in UK. The interview was successful. The number of respondents considered here was ten (10). Out of the selected participants, eight (8) completed the interview; two (2) failed to send consent to participate, because of unexpected changes in their work schedule. Some of the aspects that determined the interview’s success include: 80% participation, the respondents fully answered interview questions, interview proceeded with minimal distraction.

 

Part B: Group Working (15% of the marks)

Project Summary

Topic

Decision-making in households in relation to quality of life or human capital. The research question to be addressed is “The gender division of labour between paid and unpaid work in the UK”.

Research Skill/Method

Collection and analysis of Primary data. The data collection will be achieved through semi-structured interviews. The goal of the semi-structured interview is to collect data from participants with personal experience, perceptions, beliefs, and attitude towards the topic.

Research question

The study proposed three research questions:

  • How does the strength of gendered social norms affect equal division of work?
  • How does an educational difference between couples associated with gender division of work between paid and unpaid work?
  • How does men’s gender ideology associate with the division of work compared to gender ideology of women?