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

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  • Booth, Alison
  • van Ours, Jan C.

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

  • Booth, Alison & van Ours, Jan C., 2005. "Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-Time Work Make the Family Happier?," CEPR Discussion Papers 5438, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:5438
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Part-time work; Happiness; Gender identity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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