Perceptions of Time Spent on Housework Among Men and Women in Russia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2026.2.3197Keywords:
housework, gender inequality, gender roles, distribution of household responsibilities, social norms, perception of time spent on houseworkAbstract
This article analyzes the perception of time spent on housework among men and women in contemporary Russia, considering socio-demographic characteristics and gender attitudes. The empirical base is data from the all-Russian survey “RUSSET,” conducted by CESSI in late 2024 — early 2025 based on a random probability sample of the Russian population aged 18 and older. The author uses data from a new wave, conducted on a new independent sample 30 years after the last wave of the longitudinal study. The analysis revealed that women generally assess their contribution to housework as more significant than men. However, women without children perceive themselves as less involved in the household, and their perceived time expenditure is comparable to that of men with children. Women take on most routine household tasks (cooking, washing dishes, cleaning, laundry, ironing, caring for children, the elderly, and the sick), while men primarily engage in repairs. The smallest gender difference in the perception of time expenditure is observed when shopping for household items. By age group, the largest gap is observed among 30–39-year-olds, the smallest difference is typical for respondents 60 years and older. Regression analysis revealed that for both genders, significant predictors included age, presence of children, settlement size, employment, and agreement with the statement “a woman should have children to live a full life.” Self-rated health and income were statistically significantly associated with perceived time expenditure only for men, while for women, a correlation was found with marital status and education level.
Acknowledgments. The author expresses gratitude to Anna V. Andreenkova for the opportunity to use RUSSET data, as well as to the anonymous reviewers for valuable recommendations in finalizing the article.
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