By Cate McCurry, PA
Men are likelier to be more satisfied with the division of household tasks in opposite sex couples compared to women, new research shows.
Results from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) survey show that people perceive themselves to have more responsibility than their partners see them having.
The CSO published its Pulse Survey-Life at Home 2021: Couples, which shows that 47 per cent of men said they had a high satisfaction level with the division of household tasks, compared to 31 per cent of women.
It also revealed that in couples where both partners are employed full-time, women were more likely than men to report being mostly responsible for taking care of household chores and for grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation.
Of respondents living with a same sex partner, men are more likely to report a balanced division of most household tasks, 30% of men compared to 25% of women#CSOIreland #Pulse #PulseSurvey #LifeAtHome #Housiing #Householdshttps://t.co/r5rn5bNg0C pic.twitter.com/WW5274aN8K
— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) July 19, 2021
Some 63 per cent of men said they are mostly responsible for home and garden maintenance compared with 15 per cent of women.
More than eight in 10 women who are not employed and whose partner is employed reported that they are mostly responsible for organising and taking care of household chores, compared with 27 per cent of men who are not employed and whose partner is employed.
Almost half of men and 29 per cent of women in opposite-sex couples, where both partners are employed full-time, reported a high satisfaction level over how household tasks are divided.
In opposite-sex partnerships, more than nine in 10 women say they feel free to spend money on themselves without asking permission from their partner, compared with 83 per cent of male respondents in an opposite-sex partnership.
More than four in 10 women without children said they are mostly responsible for organising and taking care of household health-related issues, including medical/dental appointments and check-ups, while this increases to 78 per cent of women with children.
Almost one in four women and seven per cent of men said, “mostly mine”, when asked whose opinion usually prevails when there is a disagreement between partners in an opposite-sex couple.
Men are more likely to be more satisfied with the division of household tasks in opposite sex couples with 47% reporting a High satisfaction level with the division of household tasks, compared to 31% of women.#CSOIreland #Pulse #PulseSurveyhttps://t.co/r5rn5bNg0C pic.twitter.com/jlRG5nLZKW
— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) July 19, 2021
Statistician Brian Cahill said: “The distribution of power and decision-making between partners in a couple has an influence on the ability of individuals in a couple to access opportunities outside the home.
“This is why the CSO has produced ‘Life at Home 2021: Couples’, which is the third publication to be produced from the first online CSO Pulse Survey as part of the CSO ‘Take Part’ campaign.
“Survey respondents were asked a series of questions as to who in their partnership is mostly responsible for organising and taking care of a range of household-related tasks and chores.
“Response options to these questions were ‘mostly me’, ‘balanced’ and ‘mostly my spouse/partner’.
“For respondents living with a partner of the opposite-sex, one could expect that the percentage of male respondents who said they are mostly responsible for a particular household chore should be equal to the percentage of female respondents who said their partner is mostly responsible and vice versa.
“The results show that respondents perceive themselves to have more responsibility than their partners see them having.
“For example, almost two in three female respondents living with an opposite-sex partner said they are mostly responsible for household chores whereas 38 per cent of male respondents said their partner is mostly responsible.
“This report shows that female respondents in opposite-sex couples were more likely to say they are mostly responsible for organising and taking care of household chores, grocery shopping and meal preparation, taking care of household health-related issues and organising social activities.
“Men were more likely to report being mostly responsible for household financial decisions on saving, investment and borrowings, home and garden maintenance and setting up or renewing household utilities.”
