Author(s):
Peter Siminski, Rhiannon Yetsenga
Date of publication: June 2020
Working paper number: 04
Abstract:
We show that comparative advantage plays little or no role in explaining the sexual division of labor. Instead, gender norms are the likely explanation. Using direct measures of within-couple specialization, we find that absolute advantage in market work has little (no) role in the time allocations of heterosexual (same-sex) couples. Sex-based specialization is much greater. We then test the predictions of a formal Beckerian model of comparative advantage. A woman would need to be 109 times more productive in market work than her male partner before reaching expected parity in domestic work, and this is likely biased downwards.