American Heterosexual Young Adults’ Reasoning about their Expectations for Future Household Labor Participation

Despite being egalitarian, heterosexual young adults, especially women, predict a gendered division in their future household. The present study investigated 178 American heterosexual young adults’ (M = 20.56, 88.20% European American, 51% ciswomen) ideal and expected future household labor participation, their social attitudes and their justifications for their expectations. Participants were on average egalitarian in their attitudes and reasoning. Across the sample, gender norm reasoning was positively associated with expecting an unequal division, while equality reasoning was associated with expecting an equal division. A final model in which reasoning and attitudes were both included found that only being male and employing equality justifications was positively predictive of expecting an egalitarian division. The present study highlights the value of going beyond social attitudes and turning to investigating young adults’ underlying reasoning for understanding why gender (in)equality is expected and potentially perpetuated despite egalitarian ideals.

Gender norm conflict and marital outcomes

We investigate the impact of male–female conflict over gender norms on marital outcomes. As marriage requires mutual agreement regarding the role of husband and wife, we hypothesize that a person who is less likely to encounter a potential mate with similar gender norms will face a lower chance of marrying. Even if two parties marry despite a difference in gender norms, their marriage may be more vulnerable to external shocks, making divorce more likely relative to their counterparts without gender norm conflict. Finally, we predict that in the presence of gender norm conflict, high-skilled individuals may be less likely to get or stay married relative to low-skilled individuals, as the former group faces better outside options. Estimates from an analysis of U.S. marriage markets differentiated by birth cohort, state, race, and skill level support our theoretical predictions. Additional extensions explore heterogeneous effects and additional outcomes such as the presence of children in the household.

Exploring the Potential for Gender Norm Change in Adolescent Girls: Evidence from ‘Real Choices, Real Lives’ Longitudinal, Qualitative Study Data

The chapter explores the gender socialisation process and the possible influences (individual, social, and structural) both on the reproduction of gender norms which contribute to gender inequalities (referencing the SDGs) as well as on areas where the girls and their family members demonstrate resistance to norms. Engaging the study’s longitudinal data, the analysis identifies ways in which there is the potential for gender norm change. Findings highlight policy/programming implications to support interventions aimed at achieving SDG 5.

Maternal Capabilities Are Associated with Child Caregiving Behaviors Among Women in Rural Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT Background Young children require high-quality care for healthy growth and development. We defined “maternal capabilities” as factors that influence mothers’ caregiving ability (physical and mental health, social support, time, decision-making autonomy, gender norm attitudes, and mothering self-efficacy), and developed survey tools to assess them. Objectives We hypothesized that mothers with stronger capabilities during pregnancy would be more likely to practice improved care behaviors after their child was born. Methods We assessed maternal capabilities among 4667 pregnant women newly enrolled in the Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial. Several improved child-care practices were promoted until 18 mo postpartum, the trial endpoint. Care practices were assessed by survey, direct observation, or transcription from health records during postpartum research visits. We used logistic regression to determine the predictive association between maternal capabilities during pregnancy and child-care practices. Results Mothers with more egalitarian gender norm attitudes were more likely to have an institutional delivery [adjusted OR (AOR), 2.06; 95% CI, 1.57–2.69], initiate breastfeeding within 1 h of delivery (AOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.03–1.84), exclusively breastfeed (EBF) from birth to 3 mo (AOR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.95–3.35) and 3–6 mo (AOR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.36–2.25), and, among households randomized to receive extra modules on sanitation and hygiene, have soap and water at a handwashing station (AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.29–2.39). Mothers experiencing time stress were less likely to EBF from birth to 3 mo (AOR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.66–0.93). Greater social support was associated with institutional delivery (AOR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.37–1.98) and, among mothers randomized to receive extra complementary feeding modules, feeding children a minimally diverse diet (AOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01–1.37). Depressed mothers were 37% and 33%, respectively, less likely to have an institutional delivery (AOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.44–0.88) and a fully immunized child (AOR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50–0.90). Conclusions Interventions to reduce maternal depression, time stress, inadequate social support, and inequitable gender norms may improve maternal child caregiving.