TY - JOUR

T1 - Policy as normative influence? On the relationship between parental leave policy and social norms in gender division of childcare across 48 countries

AU - Author Collaboration für "Policy as normative influence?"

AU - Schindler, Simon

AU - Schuster, Carolin

AU - Olsson, Maria I.T.

AU - Froehlich, Laura

AU - Hübner, Ann Kathrin

AU - Block, Katharina

AU - Van Laar, Colette

AU - Schmader, Toni

AU - Meeussen, Loes

AU - van Grootel, Sanne

AU - Croft, Alyssa

AU - Sun, Molly Shuyi

AU - Ainsaar, Mare

AU - Aarntzen, Lianne

AU - Adamus, Magdalena

AU - Anderson, Joel

AU - Atkinson, Ciara

AU - Avicenna, Mohamad

AU - Bąbel, Przemysław

AU - Barth, Markus

AU - Benson-Greenwald, Tessa

AU - Maloku, Edona

AU - Berent, Jacques

AU - Bergsieker, Hilary B.

AU - Biernat, Monica

AU - Birneanu, Andreea

AU - Bodinaku, Blerta

AU - Bosak, Janine

AU - Bosson, Jennifer

AU - Branković, Marija

AU - Burkauskas, Julius

AU - Čavojová, Vladimíra

AU - Cheryan, Sapna

AU - Choi, Eunsoo

AU - Choi, Incheol

AU - Contreras-Ibáñez, Carlos C.

AU - Coogan, Andrew

AU - Danyliuk, Ivan

AU - Dar-Nimrod, Ilan

AU - Dasgupta, Nilanjana

AU - de Lemus, Soledad

AU - Devos, Thierry

AU - Diab, Marwan

AU - Diekman, Amanda B.

AU - Efremova, Maria

AU - Eisner, Léïla

AU - Eller, Anja

AU - Erentaite, Rasa

AU - Fedáková, Denisa

AU - Franc, Renata

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 British Psychological Society.

PY - 2024/10/23

Y1 - 2024/10/23

N2 - In the present work, we addressed the relationship between parental leave policies and social norms. Using a pre-registered, cross-national approach, we examined the relationship between parental leave policies and the perception of social norms for the gender division of childcare. In this study, 19,259 students (11,924 women) from 48 countries indicated the degree to which they believe childcare is (descriptive norm) and should be (prescriptive norm) equally divided among mothers and fathers. Policies were primarily operationalized as the existence of parental leave options in the respective country. The descriptive and prescriptive norms of equal division of childcare were stronger when parental leave was available in a country – also when controlling for potential confounding variables. Moreover, analyses of time since policy change suggested that policy change may initially affect prescriptive norms and then descriptive norms at a later point. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of the data, drawing causal inferences is difficult.

AB - In the present work, we addressed the relationship between parental leave policies and social norms. Using a pre-registered, cross-national approach, we examined the relationship between parental leave policies and the perception of social norms for the gender division of childcare. In this study, 19,259 students (11,924 women) from 48 countries indicated the degree to which they believe childcare is (descriptive norm) and should be (prescriptive norm) equally divided among mothers and fathers. Policies were primarily operationalized as the existence of parental leave options in the respective country. The descriptive and prescriptive norms of equal division of childcare were stronger when parental leave was available in a country – also when controlling for potential confounding variables. Moreover, analyses of time since policy change suggested that policy change may initially affect prescriptive norms and then descriptive norms at a later point. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of the data, drawing causal inferences is difficult.

KW - childcare

KW - gender inequality

KW - parental leave

KW - policy

KW - social norms

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85207005964&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/bjso.12806

DO - 10.1111/bjso.12806

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 39439425

AN - SCOPUS:85207005964

JO - British Journal of Social Psychology

JF - British Journal of Social Psychology

SN - 0144-6665

ER -