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Decision-making as cognitive household labor: Higher education expansion, women empowerment, and their intra-household decision-making responsibility

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  • Yang, Juan
  • Zhang, Lifang
  • Zhu, Jiusheng

Abstract

This paper explores whether higher education expansion can influence women's intra-household decision-making using China's expansion policy since 1999 as a quasi-experiment. We find that the expansion significantly enhances women's higher education attainment and labor market performance, but diminishes their involvement in household decision-making. Within households, decision-making responsibilities mainly shift to other family members, not husbands. Further analysis indicates that women with earned income tend to assume fewer household decision-making responsibilities, suggesting decision-making resembles cognitive labor rather than the exercise of resource allocation power. We also observe a decline in women's adherence to traditional gender norms and an improvement in their well-being. In conclusion, higher education expansion reduces women's labor input in household chores, contributing to a narrowing of gender inequality in household labor. At last, we advise researchers to exercise caution when using decision-making as a measure of bargaining power.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Juan & Zhang, Lifang & Zhu, Jiusheng, 2025. "Decision-making as cognitive household labor: Higher education expansion, women empowerment, and their intra-household decision-making responsibility," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:89:y:2025:i:c:s1043951x24002025
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2024.102313
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