DP5438 Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part-Time Work Make the Family Happier?

Author(s):	Alison L Booth, Jan C. van Ours
Publication Date:	December 2005
Keyword(s):	gender identity, happiness, part-time work
JEL(s):	I31, J16, J22
Programme Areas:	Labour Economics
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=5438

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).