IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ijoeps/v15y2021i1d10.1007_s42495-020-00052-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Wives’ gender identity, work hours, employment status, and life satisfaction: evidence from Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Jun Ando

    (Bukkyo University)

Abstract

This study examines the gender-identity hypothesis in the context of the work hours and life satisfaction of highly educated wives based on the prototype model in identity economics, using the survey concerning social life and time budget 2007 by the JTUC Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards (RENGO-RIALS), Japan. The empirical analyses showed that, first, the gender-identity hypothesis was supported only for wives with children. Second, with or without children, wives’ life satisfaction declined sharply when they worked for more than 20 h. These findings suggest that gender identity was an important factor for Japanese wives with children when they were choosing their number of work hours outside the home and underlined the Japanese social behavioral norm that “wives with children should not work.” This research contributes to the study of the Homo economicus’s non-rational economic behaviors, thus deepening analysis of the relationship between gender identity and working time; furthermore, it better explains why women undersupply labor in the market despite being highly educated.

Suggested Citation

  • Jun Ando, 2021. "Wives’ gender identity, work hours, employment status, and life satisfaction: evidence from Japan," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 103-124, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ijoeps:v:15:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s42495-020-00052-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s42495-020-00052-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s42495-020-00052-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s42495-020-00052-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bardasi, Elena & Francesconi, Marco, 2004. "The impact of atypical employment on individual wellbeing: evidence from a panel of British workers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(9), pages 1671-1688, May.
    2. Schwandt, Hannes, 2016. "Unmet aspirations as an explanation for the age U-shape in wellbeing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 75-87.
    3. Mary Gregory & Sara Connolly, 2008. "Feature: The Price of Reconciliation: Part-Time Work, Families and Women's Satisfaction," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(526), pages 1-7, February.
    4. Hideo Akabayashi, 2006. "The labor supply of married women and spousal tax deductions in Japan—a structural estimation," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 349-378, December.
    5. George A. Akerlof & Rachel E. Kranton, 2000. "Economics and Identity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(3), pages 715-753.
    6. AlisonL. Booth & JanC. vanOurs, 2008. "Job Satisfaction and Family Happiness: The Part-Time Work Puzzle," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(526), pages 77-99, February.
    7. George A. Akerlof & Rachel E. Kranton, 2002. "Identity and Schooling: Some Lessons for the Economics of Education," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(4), pages 1167-1201, December.
    8. George A. Akerlof & Rachel E. Kranton, 2005. "Identity and the Economics of Organizations," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 19(1), pages 9-32, Winter.
    9. Alison Booth & Jan Ours, 2013. "Part-time jobs: what women want?," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 26(1), pages 263-283, January.
    10. Alison L. Booth & Jan C. Van Ours, 2009. "Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part‐time Work Make the Family Happier?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 76(301), pages 176-196, February.
    11. A. Sousa-Poza & A. A. Sousa-Poza, 2003. "Gender differences in job satisfaction in Great Britain, 1991-2000: permanent or transitory?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(11), pages 691-694.
    12. Shingo Takahashi & Masumi Kawade & Ryuta Ray Kato, 2009. "Spousal Tax Deduction, Social Security System and the Labor Supply of Japanese Married Women," Working Papers EMS_2009_16, Research Institute, International University of Japan.
    13. Clark, Andrew E., 1997. "Job satisfaction and gender: Why are women so happy at work?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(4), pages 341-372, December.
    14. Jun Ando, 2015. "Social norms, gender identity, and high-earning wives’ housework behavior in Japan: An identity economics framework," Japanese Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1-2), pages 36-51, April.
    15. Wen-Chun Chang, 2011. "Identity, Gender, and Subjective Well-Being," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 69(1), pages 97-121.
    16. Yukiko Abe, 2009. "The Effects Of The 1.03 Million Yen Ceiling In A Dynamic Labor Supply Model," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 27(2), pages 147-163, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nandi, Alita & L. Bryan, Mark, 2015. "Working hours, work identity and subjective wellbeing," ISER Working Paper Series 2015-21, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    2. Begoña Álvarez & Daniel Miles-Touya, 2016. "Time Allocation and Women’s Life Satisfaction: Evidence from Spain," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 1207-1230, December.
    3. Wen-Chun Chang, 2011. "Identity, Gender, and Subjective Well-Being," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 69(1), pages 97-121.
    4. Cristina Bernini & Alessandro Tampieri, 2023. "Much Ado about Salary: A Comparison of Monetary and Non-Monetary Components of Job Satisfaction," Working Papers - Economics wp2023_06.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    5. Cheryl Carleton & Mary T. Kelly, 2016. "Alternative Work Arrangements and Job Satisfaction," Villanova School of Business Department of Economics and Statistics Working Paper Series 32, Villanova School of Business Department of Economics and Statistics.
    6. Booth, A.L. & van Ours, J.C., 2007. "Job Satisfaction And Family Happiness : The Part-Time Work Problem," Discussion Paper 2007-69, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    7. Collewet, M.M.F. & de Grip, A. & Koning, J.d., 2015. "Peer working time, labour supply, and happiness for male workers," ROA Research Memorandum 006, Maastricht University, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA).
    8. Alison Booth & Jan Ours, 2013. "Part-time jobs: what women want?," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 26(1), pages 263-283, January.
    9. Collewet, Marion & de Grip, Andries & de Koning, Jaap, 2017. "Conspicuous work: Peer working time, labour supply, and happiness," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 79-90.
    10. Alison L. Booth & Jan C. Van Ours, 2009. "Hours of Work and Gender Identity: Does Part‐time Work Make the Family Happier?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 76(301), pages 176-196, February.
    11. Florencia Lopez Boo & Lucia Madrigal & Carmen Pages, 2010. "Part-Time Work, Gender and Job Satisfaction: Evidence from a Developing Country," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(9), pages 1543-1571.
    12. Robert Rudolf, 2014. "Work Shorter, Be Happier? Longitudinal Evidence from the Korean Five-Day Working Policy," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1139-1163, October.
    13. Hikaru Hasegawa & Kazuhiro Ueda, 2016. "Analysis of Job Satisfaction: The Case of Japanese Private Companies," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 30(1), pages 109-134, March.
    14. Sarah Jewell & Pantelis Kazakis, 2021. "Migration patterns and job satisfaction: evidence from European doctorate holders," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 66(2), pages 359-407, April.
    15. Hetschko, Clemens & Knabe, Andreas & Schöb, Ronnie, 2021. "Happiness, Work, and Identity," GLO Discussion Paper Series 783, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    16. Eiji Yamamura & Yoshiro Tsutsui, 2021. "Spousal age gap and identity and their impact on the allocation of housework," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 1059-1083, February.
    17. Shivani Taneja, 2019. "Working Hours And Trends In Job Satisfaction Using A Panel Of British Workers," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 9912075, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    18. Beja Jr, Edsel, 2012. "Who is happier: Housewife or working wife?," MPRA Paper 40533, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. S. Cicognani & M. Cioni & M. Savioli, 2016. "The secret to job satisfaction is low expectations: How perceived working conditions differ from actual ones," Working Papers wp1083, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    20. Adrian Chadi & Clemens Hetschko, 2017. "Income or Leisure? On the Hidden Benefits of (Un-) Employment," IAAEU Discussion Papers 201706, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Identity economics; Gender identity; Social norm; Life satisfaction; Part-time job;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B55 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Social Economics
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ijoeps:v:15:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s42495-020-00052-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.