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Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-time Work Make the Family Happier?

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  • Alison Booth
  • Jan van Ours

Abstract

Taking into account inter-dependence within the family, we investigate the relationship between part-time work and happiness. We use panel data from the new Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia Survey. Our analysis indicates that part-time women are more satisfied with working hours than full-time women. Partnered women’s life satisfaction is increased if their partners work full-time. Male partners’ life satisfaction is unaffected by their partners’ market hours but is increased if they themselves are working full-time. This finding is consistent with the gender identity hypothesis of Akerlof and Kranton (2000).

Suggested Citation

  • Alison Booth & Jan van Ours, 2005. "Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-time Work Make the Family Happier?," CEPR Discussion Papers 507, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    • Handle: RePEc:auu:dpaper:507
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    File URL: https://www.cbe.anu.edu.au/researchpapers/CEPR/DP507.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    part-time work; happiness; gender identity.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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