Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

M.I. Olsson; S. van Grootel; K. Block; C. Schuster; L. Meeussen; C. van Laar; T. Schmader; A. Croft; M. Shuyi Sun; M. Ainsaar; L. Aarntzen; M. Adamus; J. Anderson; C. Atkinson; M. Avicenna; P. Bąbel; M. Barth; T.M. Benson-Greenwald; E. Maloku; J. Berent; H.B. Bergsieker; M. Biernat; A.G. Bîrneanu; B. Bodinaku; J. Bosak; J. Bosson; M. Branković; J. Burkauskas; V. Čavojová; S. Cheryan; E. Choi; I. Choi; C.C. Contreras-Ibáñez; A. Coogan; I. Danyliuk; I. Dar-Nimrod; N. Dasgupta; S. de Lemus; T. Devos; M. Diab; A.B. Diekman; M. Efremova; L. Eisner; A. Eller; R. Erentaite; D. Fedáková; R. Frank; L. Gartzia; A. Gavreliuc; D. Gavreliuc; J. Gecaite-Stonciene; A.L. Germano; I. Giovannelli; R. Gismondi Diaz; L. Gitikhmayeva; A. Menkir Gizaw; B. Gjoneska; O. Martínez González; R. González; I.D. Grijalva; D. Güngör; M. Gustafsson Sendén; W. Hall; C. Harb; B. Hassan; T. Hässler; D.R. Hawi; L. Henningsen; A. Hoppe; K. Ishii; I. Jakšić; A. Jasini; J. Jurkevičienė; K. Kelmendi; T.A. Kirby; Y. Kitakaji; N. Kosakowska-Berezecka; I. Kozytska; C. Kulich; E. Kundtová-Klocová; F. Kunuroglu; C. Lapytskaia Aidy; A. Lee; A. Lindqvist; W. López-López; L. Luzvinda; F. Maricchiolo; D. Martinot; R.A. McNamara; A. Meister; T.L. Melka; N. Mickuviene; M.I. Miranda-Orrego; T. Mkamwa; J. Morandini; T. Morton; D. Mrisho; J. Nikitin; S. Otten; M.G. Pacilli; E. Page-Gould; A. Perandrés; J. Pizarro; N. Pop-Jordanova; J. Pyrkosz-Pacyna; S. Quta; T.S. Ramis; N. Rani; S. Redersdorff; I. Régner; E.A. Renström; A. Rivera-Rodriguez; S.T.E. Rocha; T. Ryabichenko; R. Saab; K. Sakata; A. Samekin; T. Sánchez-Pachecho; C. Scheifele; M.K. Schulmeyer; S. Sczesny; D. Sirlopú; V. Smith-Castro; K. Soo; F. Spaccatini; J.R. Steele; M.C.  Steffens; I. Sucic; J. Vandello; L.M. Velásquez-Díaz; M. Vink; E. Vives; T. Zalalam Warkineh; I. Žeželj; X. Zhang; X. Zhao; S.E. Martiny

doi:10.1111/pops.12880

Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

M.I. Olsson^*, S. van Grootel, K. Block, C. Schuster, L. Meeussen, C. van Laar, T. Schmader, A. Croft, M. Shuyi Sun, M. Ainsaar, L. Aarntzen, M. Adamus, J. Anderson, C. Atkinson, M. Avicenna, P. Bąbel, M. Barth, T.M. Benson-Greenwald, E. Maloku, J. BerentH.B. Bergsieker, M. Biernat, A.G. Bîrneanu, B. Bodinaku, J. Bosak, J. Bosson, M. Branković, J. Burkauskas, V. Čavojová, S. Cheryan, E. Choi, I. Choi, C.C. Contreras-Ibáñez, A. Coogan, I. Danyliuk, I. Dar-Nimrod, N. Dasgupta, S. de Lemus, T. Devos, M. Diab, A.B. Diekman, M. Efremova, L. Eisner, A. Eller, R. Erentaite, D. Fedáková, R. Frank, L. Gartzia, A. Gavreliuc, D. Gavreliuc, J. Gecaite-Stonciene, A.L. Germano, I. Giovannelli, R. Gismondi Diaz, L. Gitikhmayeva, A. Menkir Gizaw, B. Gjoneska, O. Martínez González, R. González, I.D. Grijalva, D. Güngör, M. Gustafsson Sendén, W. Hall, C. Harb, B. Hassan, T. Hässler, D.R. Hawi, L. Henningsen, A. Hoppe, K. Ishii, I. Jakšić, A. Jasini, J. Jurkevičienė, K. Kelmendi, T.A. Kirby, Y. Kitakaji, N. Kosakowska-Berezecka, I. Kozytska, C. Kulich, E. Kundtová-Klocová, F. Kunuroglu, C. Lapytskaia Aidy, A. Lee, A. Lindqvist, W. López-López, L. Luzvinda, F. Maricchiolo, D. Martinot, R.A. McNamara, A. Meister, T.L. Melka, N. Mickuviene, M.I. Miranda-Orrego, T. Mkamwa, J. Morandini, T. Morton, D. Mrisho, J. Nikitin, S. Otten, M.G. Pacilli, E. Page-Gould, A. Perandrés, J. Pizarro, N. Pop-Jordanova, J. Pyrkosz-Pacyna, S. Quta, T.S. Ramis, N. Rani, S. Redersdorff, I. Régner, E.A. Renström, A. Rivera-Rodriguez, S.T.E. Rocha, T. Ryabichenko, R. Saab, K. Sakata, A. Samekin, T. Sánchez-Pachecho, C. Scheifele, M.K. Schulmeyer, S. Sczesny, D. Sirlopú, V. Smith-Castro, K. Soo, F. Spaccatini, J.R. Steele, M.C. Steffens, I. Sucic, J. Vandello, L.M. Velásquez-Díaz, M. Vink, E. Vives, T. Zalalam Warkineh, I. Žeželj, X. Zhang, X. Zhao, S.E. Martiny

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women's political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women's (rather than men's) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men's higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men's leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1163-1192
Number of pages	30
Journal	Political Psychology
Volume	44
Issue number	6
Early online date	23 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12880
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023

Keywords

Childcare
Cross-national
Gender
Inequality
Parental leave

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Political Psychology - 2023 - Olsson - Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions Evidence from 37 CountriesFinal published version, 965 KBLicence: CC BY

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Olsson, M. I., van Grootel, S., Block, K., Schuster, C., Meeussen, L., van Laar, C., Schmader, T., Croft, A., Shuyi Sun, M., Ainsaar, M., Aarntzen, L., Adamus, M., Anderson, J., Atkinson, C., Avicenna, M., Bąbel, P., Barth, M., Benson-Greenwald, T. M., Maloku, E., ... Martiny, S. E. (2023). Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries. Political Psychology, 44(6), 1163-1192. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12880

@article{3c9d3ac66ae14f71a5e6f562bf5b4cd1,

title = "Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries",

abstract = "Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women's political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women's (rather than men's) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men's higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men's leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed.",

keywords = "Childcare, Cross-national, Gender, Inequality, Parental leave",

author = "M.I. Olsson and {van Grootel}, S. and K. Block and C. Schuster and L. Meeussen and {van Laar}, C. and T. Schmader and A. Croft and {Shuyi Sun}, M. and M. Ainsaar and L. Aarntzen and M. Adamus and J. Anderson and C. Atkinson and M. Avicenna and P. B{\c a}bel and M. Barth and T.M. Benson-Greenwald and E. Maloku and J. Berent and H.B. Bergsieker and M. Biernat and A.G. B{\^i}rneanu and B. Bodinaku and J. Bosak and J. Bosson and M. Brankovi{\'c} and J. Burkauskas and V. {\v C}avojov{\'a} and S. Cheryan and E. Choi and I. Choi and C.C. Contreras-Ib{\'a}{\~n}ez and A. Coogan and I. Danyliuk and I. Dar-Nimrod and N. Dasgupta and {de Lemus}, S. and T. Devos and M. Diab and A.B. Diekman and M. Efremova and L. Eisner and A. Eller and R. Erentaite and D. Fed{\'a}kov{\'a} and R. Frank and L. Gartzia and A. Gavreliuc and D. Gavreliuc and J. Gecaite-Stonciene and A.L. Germano and I. Giovannelli and {Gismondi Diaz}, R. and L. Gitikhmayeva and {Menkir Gizaw}, A. and B. Gjoneska and {Mart{\'i}nez Gonz{\'a}lez}, O. and R. Gonz{\'a}lez and I.D. Grijalva and D. G{\"u}ng{\"o}r and {Gustafsson Send{\'e}n}, M. and W. Hall and C. Harb and B. Hassan and T. H{\"a}ssler and D.R. Hawi and L. Henningsen and A. Hoppe and K. Ishii and I. Jak{\v s}i{\'c} and A. Jasini and J. Jurkevi{\v c}ienė and K. Kelmendi and T.A. Kirby and Y. Kitakaji and N. Kosakowska-Berezecka and I. Kozytska and C. Kulich and E. Kundtov{\'a}-Klocov{\'a} and F. Kunuroglu and {Lapytskaia Aidy}, C. and A. Lee and A. Lindqvist and W. L{\'o}pez-L{\'o}pez and L. Luzvinda and F. Maricchiolo and D. Martinot and R.A. McNamara and A. Meister and T.L. Melka and N. Mickuviene and M.I. Miranda-Orrego and T. Mkamwa and J. Morandini and T. Morton and D. Mrisho and J. Nikitin and S. Otten and M.G. Pacilli and E. Page-Gould and A. Perandr{\'e}s and J. Pizarro and N. Pop-Jordanova and J. Pyrkosz-Pacyna and S. Quta and T.S. Ramis and N. Rani and S. Redersdorff and I. R{\'e}gner and E.A. Renstr{\"o}m and A. Rivera-Rodriguez and S.T.E. Rocha and T. Ryabichenko and R. Saab and K. Sakata and A. Samekin and T. S{\'a}nchez-Pachecho and C. Scheifele and M.K. Schulmeyer and S. Sczesny and D. Sirlop{\'u} and V. Smith-Castro and K. Soo and F. Spaccatini and J.R. Steele and M.C. Steffens and I. Sucic and J. Vandello and L.M. Vel{\'a}squez-D{\'i}az and M. Vink and E. Vives and {Zalalam Warkineh}, T. and I. {\v Z}e{\v z}elj and X. Zhang and X. Zhao and S.E. Martiny",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1111/pops.12880",

language = "English",

volume = "44",

pages = "1163--1192",

journal = "Political Psychology",

issn = "0162-895X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "6",

}

Olsson, MI, van Grootel, S, Block, K, Schuster, C, Meeussen, L, van Laar, C, Schmader, T, Croft, A, Shuyi Sun, M, Ainsaar, M, Aarntzen, L, Adamus, M, Anderson, J, Atkinson, C, Avicenna, M, Bąbel, P, Barth, M, Benson-Greenwald, TM, Maloku, E, Berent, J, Bergsieker, HB, Biernat, M, Bîrneanu, AG, Bodinaku, B, Bosak, J, Bosson, J, Branković, M, Burkauskas, J, Čavojová, V, Cheryan, S, Choi, E, Choi, I, Contreras-Ibáñez, CC, Coogan, A, Danyliuk, I, Dar-Nimrod, I, Dasgupta, N, de Lemus, S, Devos, T, Diab, M, Diekman, AB, Efremova, M, Eisner, L, Eller, A, Erentaite, R, Fedáková, D, Frank, R, Gartzia, L, Gavreliuc, A, Gavreliuc, D, Gecaite-Stonciene, J, Germano, AL, Giovannelli, I, Gismondi Diaz, R, Gitikhmayeva, L, Menkir Gizaw, A, Gjoneska, B, Martínez González, O, González, R, Grijalva, ID, Güngör, D, Gustafsson Sendén, M, Hall, W, Harb, C, Hassan, B, Hässler, T, Hawi, DR, Henningsen, L, Hoppe, A, Ishii, K, Jakšić, I, Jasini, A, Jurkevičienė, J, Kelmendi, K, Kirby, TA, Kitakaji, Y, Kosakowska-Berezecka, N, Kozytska, I, Kulich, C, Kundtová-Klocová, E, Kunuroglu, F, Lapytskaia Aidy, C, Lee, A, Lindqvist, A, López-López, W, Luzvinda, L, Maricchiolo, F, Martinot, D, McNamara, RA, Meister, A, Melka, TL, Mickuviene, N, Miranda-Orrego, MI, Mkamwa, T, Morandini, J, Morton, T, Mrisho, D, Nikitin, J, Otten, S, Pacilli, MG, Page-Gould, E, Perandrés, A, Pizarro, J, Pop-Jordanova, N, Pyrkosz-Pacyna, J, Quta, S, Ramis, TS, Rani, N, Redersdorff, S, Régner, I, Renström, EA, Rivera-Rodriguez, A, Rocha, STE, Ryabichenko, T, Saab, R, Sakata, K, Samekin, A, Sánchez-Pachecho, T, Scheifele, C, Schulmeyer, MK, Sczesny, S, Sirlopú, D, Smith-Castro, V, Soo, K, Spaccatini, F, Steele, JR, Steffens, MC, Sucic, I, Vandello, J, Velásquez-Díaz, LM, Vink, M, Vives, E, Zalalam Warkineh, T, Žeželj, I, Zhang, X, Zhao, X & Martiny, SE 2023, 'Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries', Political Psychology, vol. 44, no. 6, pp. 1163-1192. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12880

TY - JOUR

T1 - Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions

T2 - Evidence from 37 Countries

AU - Olsson, M.I.

AU - van Grootel, S.

AU - Block, K.

AU - Schuster, C.

AU - Meeussen, L.

AU - van Laar, C.

AU - Schmader, T.

AU - Croft, A.

AU - Shuyi Sun, M.

AU - Ainsaar, M.

AU - Aarntzen, L.

AU - Adamus, M.

AU - Anderson, J.

AU - Atkinson, C.

AU - Avicenna, M.

AU - Bąbel, P.

AU - Barth, M.

AU - Benson-Greenwald, T.M.

AU - Maloku, E.

AU - Berent, J.

AU - Bergsieker, H.B.

AU - Biernat, M.

AU - Bîrneanu, A.G.

AU - Bodinaku, B.

AU - Bosak, J.

AU - Bosson, J.

AU - Branković, M.

AU - Burkauskas, J.

AU - Čavojová, V.

AU - Cheryan, S.

AU - Choi, E.

AU - Choi, I.

AU - Contreras-Ibáñez, C.C.

AU - Coogan, A.

AU - Danyliuk, I.

AU - Dar-Nimrod, I.

AU - Dasgupta, N.

AU - de Lemus, S.

AU - Devos, T.

AU - Diab, M.

AU - Diekman, A.B.

AU - Efremova, M.

AU - Eisner, L.

AU - Eller, A.

AU - Erentaite, R.

AU - Fedáková, D.

AU - Frank, R.

AU - Gartzia, L.

AU - Gavreliuc, A.

AU - Gavreliuc, D.

AU - Gecaite-Stonciene, J.

AU - Germano, A.L.

AU - Giovannelli, I.

AU - Gismondi Diaz, R.

AU - Gitikhmayeva, L.

AU - Menkir Gizaw, A.

AU - Gjoneska, B.

AU - Martínez González, O.

AU - González, R.

AU - Grijalva, I.D.

AU - Güngör, D.

AU - Gustafsson Sendén, M.

AU - Hall, W.

AU - Harb, C.

AU - Hassan, B.

AU - Hässler, T.

AU - Hawi, D.R.

AU - Henningsen, L.

AU - Hoppe, A.

AU - Ishii, K.

AU - Jakšić, I.

AU - Jasini, A.

AU - Jurkevičienė, J.

AU - Kelmendi, K.

AU - Kirby, T.A.

AU - Kitakaji, Y.

AU - Kosakowska-Berezecka, N.

AU - Kozytska, I.

AU - Kulich, C.

AU - Kundtová-Klocová, E.

AU - Kunuroglu, F.

AU - Lapytskaia Aidy, C.

AU - Lee, A.

AU - Lindqvist, A.

AU - López-López, W.

AU - Luzvinda, L.

AU - Maricchiolo, F.

AU - Martinot, D.

AU - McNamara, R.A.

AU - Meister, A.

AU - Melka, T.L.

AU - Mickuviene, N.

AU - Miranda-Orrego, M.I.

AU - Mkamwa, T.

AU - Morandini, J.

AU - Morton, T.

AU - Mrisho, D.

AU - Nikitin, J.

AU - Otten, S.

AU - Pacilli, M.G.

AU - Page-Gould, E.

AU - Perandrés, A.

AU - Pizarro, J.

AU - Pop-Jordanova, N.

AU - Pyrkosz-Pacyna, J.

AU - Quta, S.

AU - Ramis, T.S.

AU - Rani, N.

AU - Redersdorff, S.

AU - Régner, I.

AU - Renström, E.A.

AU - Rivera-Rodriguez, A.

AU - Rocha, S.T.E.

AU - Ryabichenko, T.

AU - Saab, R.

AU - Sakata, K.

AU - Samekin, A.

AU - Sánchez-Pachecho, T.

AU - Scheifele, C.

AU - Schulmeyer, M.K.

AU - Sczesny, S.

AU - Sirlopú, D.

AU - Smith-Castro, V.

AU - Soo, K.

AU - Spaccatini, F.

AU - Steele, J.R.

AU - Steffens, M.C.

AU - Sucic, I.

AU - Vandello, J.

AU - Velásquez-Díaz, L.M.

AU - Vink, M.

AU - Vives, E.

AU - Zalalam Warkineh, T.

AU - Žeželj, I.

AU - Zhang, X.

AU - Zhao, X.

AU - Martiny, S.E.

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women's political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women's (rather than men's) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men's higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men's leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed.

AB - Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women's political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women's (rather than men's) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men's higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men's leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed.

KW - Childcare

KW - Cross-national

KW - Gender

KW - Inequality

KW - Parental leave

U2 - 10.1111/pops.12880

DO - 10.1111/pops.12880

M3 - Article

SN - 0162-895X

VL - 44

SP - 1163

EP - 1192

JO - Political Psychology

JF - Political Psychology

IS - 6

ER -

Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

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