Cognitive Dissonance:
Attitudes toward gender roles in the division of labor in family life in East Asian and Western industrial countries
Hong, Cheng-Huei
National Taiwan Normal University, Ph. D candidate
Neil Gilbert
University of California Berkeley, Professor
Abstract
Although aging societies amid low fertility rates are a global trend, the lowest fertility rates are found among the East Asian countries. With the exception of China where until recently the fertility rate was held in check by the one-child policy, the East Asian experience is somewhat at odds with the Confucian devotion to parents and family in these societies. This study analyzes the extent to which gender attitudes toward the division of labor in East Asian and Western industrial might shed some light on the apparent discrepancy between the relatively low fertility rates and the strong cultural emphasis on family in East Asian societies.
This study is based on data from the “International Social Survey Program (ISSP)”. Survey in 2012 addressing “Family and Changing Gender Roles IV.” Among the 40 countries surveyed, 16 were selected for this study. These countries were categorized into 4 groups by culture and welfare state regime: Anglo America, North Europe, West Europe and East Asia. The questionnaire items were analyzed to capture public attitudes toward gender roles in the division of labor in the family (A man's job is to earn money; a woman's job is to look after the home and family) and employment in the market (Both the man and woman should contribute to the household income). The degree of disagreement and agreement with these items can be seen as reflecting traditional versus modern attitudes about gender roles.
The findings show that overall the attitudes toward gender roles in the division of labor were significantly different among the countries with respondents from East Asian countries expressing more traditional attitudes toward gender roles. However, in comparing the responses within countries the results reveal a relatively high degree of consistency among attitudes toward gender roles in the market and home, except for the East Asian countries. Here respondents expressed a high degree of cognitive dissonance between tradition and modern attitudes. Supporting tradition roles in family life but modern roles in the market, the East Asian respondents expressed expectations that woman should stay at home and care for the family and at the same they should be employed in the market earning an income. North Europe countries expressed the least cognitive dissonance in this regard. We discuss the implications for family life of the high degree of dissonance about gender roles in East Asian societies.
Key words: Gender role attitude, labor division, comparative analysis, family change, East Asia
Acknowledgements: This research is supported by the “Academic Exchange and Cooperation Project” between the Top University Strategic Alliance (Taiwan, R.O.C.) and the University of California, Berkeley (U.S.A.).
