The Determinants of Allocation of Time to Housework

Abstract

This paper compares the empirical evidence on the determinants of time spent in domestic activities by male and female partners, with the theoretical predictions of a Gronau model in which the amount of housework done by each partner depends only upon market wages and domestic productivity. Empirical analysis is based on data drawn from the ISTAT Multipurpose Survey, the first Italian survey to collect data on time use. The survey contains no data on income and wages and consequently in the empirical analysis we use the information on demographic characteristics of individuals and households to test the consistency between the evidence and the implications of the model. The results show a strong asymmetry in the determinants of time spent on domestic activities by male and female partner, which is in sharp contrast with theoretical predictions, introducing the idea that other factors beyond wages and productivity are influencing the way families are deciding about time allocation in their domestic activities.