A longitudinal dyadic analysis of gender ideology during the transition into parenthood

Objective

We aim to examine how the interplay between couples' gender ideology and economic power shapes gender ideology evolution during the transition into parenthood.

Background

Previous research has examined individual-level changes in gender ideology during the transition into parenthood, overlooking the dynamic interaction in which the characteristics of both spouses mutually shape each other's gender ideology.

Method

Analyzing longitudinal couple data from the United Kingdom (1991–2020) using a couple-level fixed effects model, this study examines how women's and men's gender ideologies evolve during the transition into parenthood and whether the patterns are configured by spousal gender ideologies and relative income.

Results

Throughout the transition into parenthood, there is a shift toward more traditional gender-role views among wives. This change is particularly pronounced if their husbands possess more traditional ideologies and earn more than the wives. The impact of parenthood on the husband's gender ideology is more varied. Husbands tend to adopt more traditional ideologies when their wives hold more traditional views and when they earn overwhelmingly high relative incomes. Conversely, their gender ideologies become more egalitarian when their wives hold more egalitarian views and when their incomes are similar to or lower than their wives'.

Conclusion

Our findings provide novel insights into the interactional process of gender ideology formation in different-sex couples when they become parents, highlighting the interplay between parenthood, gender ideology, and economic power. The strong ideological interaction between spouses suggests a significant opportunity for exchanging egalitarian beliefs between genders as society moves toward more gender-equal norms.