PhD thesis defence by Belén Rodriguez Moro
This thesis is composed of three essays that examine the gendered allocation of time within households and its implications for family dynamics and gender equity.
In the first chapter, 'Children, Household Specialization, and Relationship Quality', co-authored with Olatz Román-Blanco, we investigate how the transition to parenthood affects relationship quality (RQ), a novel measure capturing the non-material benefits of a partnership. Using dynamic difference-indifferences around childbirth and longitudinal survey data, we document a sharp and persistent decline in RQ, primarily driven by shifts in time allocation. Mothers take on a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic labor and reduce labor market participation, while fathers’ contributions remain minimal. This decline is most pronounced in couples who previously maintained an egalitarian or counter-stereotypical division of labor, highlighting the resilience of traditional gender roles.
In the second chapter, 'The Unchanging Divide: Balancing Labour and Domestic Responsibilities in Late Family Life Stages', I examine the division of paid and unpaid work when young adult children co-reside with parents and after their emancipation. Using longitudinal time-use data, I show that mothers consistently bear the bulk of domestic responsibilities, even in female breadwinner households, reinforcing the role of gender identity norms in shaping time allocation. Fathers’ contributions remain limited, and young adult children provide little support. While children’s emancipation slightly reduces mothers’ unpaid workload, the relief is modest, underscoring the persistence of gendered labor patterns.
In the third chapter, 'Measuring Relationship Quality', co-authored with Olatz Román-Blanco, we introduce and validate an RQ measure, demonstrating its predictive power for marital transitions. Using UK panel data, we analyse its mean and variance evolution over relationship tenure. Findings suggest that RQ declines over time, with variance remaining stable, supporting the idea that RQ follows a stochastic process. Moreover, partners with similar educational backgrounds experience greater non-material benefits from their union.
The event will take place in hybrid mode.