A Comparative Analysis of the Changes in the Values and Attitudes Toward Gender Equality and Gender Roles in Korea

Abstract

This study investigates the changes of values and attitudes about gender equality and gender roles in Korea from a comparative perspective. One of the aims of this study is to look at long-term changes of values on gender equality and gender roles in Korea. For this purpose, the value changes are analyzed for the last ten years. Another aim of this study is test Inglehart’s thesis of the differential influence of materialistic/post-materialistic views on gender and family values. For this purpose, this study adopts Inglehart and Norris’s index of materialistic/post-materialistic values. Data for this study comes from the World Values Survey and the wave data from 1995, 2001, and 2006 are used. For a comparative analysis, the 2000-2001 World Values Survey data is also used. Through this study, it is clear that those in Korea who have post-materialistic values are more likely to hold an egalitarian value on gender equality than those who have materialistic values. This result supports Inglehart’s thesis of the differential influence of materialistic/post-materialistic values. However, in terms of gender roles, the distinction of materialistic/post-materialistic values does not affect the attitude towards gender roles at home.