Mother’s Instinct? Biological Essentialism and Parents’ Involvement in Work and Childcare

Bibliographic Data

ID11997086
AuthorsRuth Gaunt (0000-0003-0395-1429, University of Lincoln, corresponding author), Francine M Deutsch (Mount Holyoke College)
Year2024
Volume90
Issue2
Pages267-279
Publication date2024-01-23
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSex Roles (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0360-0025 • E-ISSN: 1573-2762
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s11199-024-01451-8
OpenAlexW4391140721
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited77

Despite wide public support for gender equality in work and caregiving, family responsibilities are still divided predominantly along traditional gender lines. This study examined the role of biological essentialism in the division of family roles using a nationally representative sample of British parents with young children ( N = 5,605). Both mothers’ and fathers’ essentialist beliefs about men’s and women’s innate ability to care for children were associated with a more traditional division of childcare tasks, more hours of childcare provided by the mother, and fewer hours of childcare provided by the father. When gender role attitudes were considered together with biological essentialism, only essentialism was a significant predictor of involvement in childcare. Finally, the results supported our predictions that the effect of biological essentialism is mediated through parents’ work hours, and that essentialism affects mothers’ and fathers’ involvement in work and childcare in opposite directions. Taken together, the findings suggest that essentialist beliefs are a key hindrance to greater gender equality because they motivate parents to divide roles according to traditional gender norms. These findings may be of particular interest to practitioners and policy makers interested in increasing fathers’ involvement in childcare, mothers’ participation in the labor force, and overall gender equality

Developmental psychology · Division of labour · Essentialism · Gender equality · Gender role · Instinct · Political science · Sociology · Work (physics · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Gender Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Work-Family Balance Challenges

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