Page 120 - IJPS-11-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Gendered division of household labor in Iran

Table 3. Predictors of greater share of women in domestic labor division, child care, and family decision‑making (beta from
multivariate regression models)
Predictors Domestic labor Childcare scale Family decision‑making
division scale power scale
Man’s education −0.080* −0.054* −0.017
Woman’s education −0.076* −0.004 0.083**
Man’s income 0.096* 0.101* 0.001
Woman’s income −0.110* −0.054* 0.016
Income earner status (dual earner) −0.235*** −0.150*** 0.065*
Couple’s relative level of education (Women’s equal or higher education) 0.063 0.105* 0.019
Couple’s relative level of income (Women’s equal or higher income) 0.002 0.046 0.041
Parent’s SES −0.038 0.003 −0.032
Length of marriage 0.031 −0.005 0.101**
Having children 0.110** - 0.015
F (sig.) 34.82 (0.001) 6.23 (0.001) 2.85 (0.001)
Adjusted R-square (%) 43.1 20.8 14.8
Breusch–Pagan test Insignificant Insignificant Insignificant
Skewness (kurtosis) tests −1.298 (1.857) −0.901 (1.298) 0.453 (1.650)
Durbin–Watson statistic 1.87 1.76 1.74
Notes: A higher score indicates a larger share of women in domestic labor division, child care, and family decision-making. The values of VIF of all
variables in the table are under 5. *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001.
associated with a decrease in women’s engagement in education can explain the gender differentials in power
domestic chores. Higher education can result in higher and decision-making in the family and division of labor
income, allowing individuals to outsource or delegate household chores (An, 2008; Shu et al., 2012). Therefore,
household chores (Gupta, 2007). Education also enhances according to the relative resource bargaining perspective,
negotiation and bargaining skills, as well as promotes the partner with more economic resources and power
gender egalitarianism (Román, 2021; Magda et al., 2024). (usually determined by income and educational level) has
However, our findings align with previous research (e.g., the ability to dictate their role within the household, while
Sayer et al., 2004) showing that the relationship between the partner with fewer economic resources takes a larger
education and housework is not consistent for childcare, share of unpaid domestic work (Garcia & Tomlinson, 2021).
which is often viewed as a more fulfilling activity. In addition, our findings indicate that despite the
Women’s income was found to be inversely associated increase in women’s involvement in household decision-
with housework and childcare, while men’s income tended making and having access to bargaining power, they are still
to have a positive association with these responsibilities. primarily responsible for household and childcare duties.
Magda et al. (2024) also noted that women’s participation
in housework decreases as their share of total household Housework and childcare remain largely perceived as
income increases. However, women do not significantly femininity (Sekeráková Búriková, 2023), a pattern observed
benefit from their male partners’ income in terms of in various regions including Asia and Southern Europe
housework (Gupta, 2006). In addition, shifting from a (Fisher & Robinson, 2011; Kim, 2018). Studies consistently
single-earner to a dual-earner family status was associated found that women perform a disproportionately high share
with a decrease in women’s involvement in household tasks of household tasks, even in the most egalitarian contexts
and childcare. Winkler and Ireland (2009) observed that (Moreno-Colom, 2017). Gender disparities in household
dual-earner wives typically spend less time on household labor persist, even when accounting for resource-based
management compared to single-earner wives. Overall, factors, largely due to the “stickiness” of gender role
women’s access to financial resources appears to empower expectations (Altman & Humberd, 2023). From a gender-
them, leading to a reduction in their domestic labor and an centered approach, cultural norms and social expectations
increase in their participation in family decision-making. often dictate that wives are tasked with cooking and caring
In this regard, the relative resources perspective suggests for children, while husbands are expected to work outside
that differences in individual resources such as income and the home to support the family (Alem et al., 2023). Thus,

Volume 11 Issue 2 (2025) 114 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.3212