Partner's contribution to housework and couple bonding activities among Korean working women: Heterogeneity by socioeconomic status

Abstract

The present study investigates: (a) how a partner's contribution to housework is associated with couple bonding activities among Korean women in dual-earner couples and (b) whether this association varies by socioeconomic status. Using eight waves from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women & Families (N = 5758), we estimated fixed effects models to account for individual-level heterogeneity. Engagement in couple bonding activities was measured by the frequency of physical and cultural activities with a partner. Fixed effects estimates showed that a partner's contribution to housework is positively associated with engagement in physical and cultural activities with a partner. The association between a partner's contribution to housework and physical and cultural activities was more pronounced among women in dual-earner couples in which the woman was highly educated. The association for cultural activities, not physical activities, was amplified by household income. This study supports the notion that a more equal distribution of housework is important for improving the quality of life in a marriage.