Work Status and Gender Ideology: A Cross-Sectional and Panel Analysis

Abstract

As economic shifts have occurred in the United States (e.g., the type of work available ) it has become more difficult for men to enact the breadwinner or sole-provider role; men might respond to these changes by either holding more tightly to traditional gender ideology or by becoming more egalitarian in their gender ideology. This study used cross-sectional and panel data from the General Social Survey (GSS) to look at the relationship between current work status and a change in work status and gender ideology. Both the respondent’s and, if married, the respondent’s spouse’s work status were examined. Cross-sectional results show that men who are working part-time, are unemployed, or are keeping house have more egalitarian gender ideologies than men who work-full time and that wives working more than husbands is associated with more egalitarian gender beliefs for both men and women. Panel results show a change in work status has an influence on an individual’s gender ideology, with those who become unemployed becoming more traditional in their gender beliefs. Mixed results were found in the panel data analysis for the effect of entering part-time work on gender ideology.