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Title: Deconstructing Specialization: Unpaid Domestic Tasks and Marriage Premia among U.S. Men

Citation Type: Conference Paper

Publication Year: 2015

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Abstract: Economists theorize that mens marriage premium derives in part from gender specialization in household paid and unpaid labor. We argue that in the current earnings structure, specialization is feasible only for the highest-earning men. In contrast, lower-earning men continue to benefit from marriage if they contribute more to unpaid tasks. We pool 2010-12 American Time Use Survey data and use semi-parametric regressions to estimate the impact of unpaid work at different percentiles of mens earnings distribution. At no percentile does the inclusion of mens unpaid time significantly alter their net marriage premium. Greater time in nonroutine housework predicts a further earnings premium for men in the lower quartile of the earnings distribution. At the median, mens greater time in both nonroutine housework and childcare predicts greater earnings. Partnered mens greater productivity in family work therefore predicts greater market earnings for average and lower-earning men.

Url: http://paa2015.princeton.edu/abstracts/150156

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Authors: Prince Cooke, Lynn; Hook, Jennifer L

Conference Name: Population Association of American 2015 Annual Meeting

Publisher Location: San Diego, CA

Data Collections: IPUMS Time Use - ATUS

Topics: Family and Marriage, Gender, Labor Force and Occupational Structure

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