Men clean: A new study shows that married men who don’t help with housework tend to bring home larger paychecks than husbands who play a larger role in the household.
The study was published on May 22 in the journal Personalpsychologie.
Agreeableness, intolerance and who does the housework
In psychology, “agreeableness” is one of the “Big Five “-Dimensions used to describe human personality.
It generally refers to someone who is warm, compassionate, kind, and cooperative.
On the other hand, unlikable people tend not to exhibit these traits, and they tend to be more selfish and competitive.
In two studies with about 2,000 participants with an average age of middle 40 Studies show that unwelcome husbands are less likely to help around the house.
This allows them to devote more resources to their work, resulting in higher pay compared to their more agreeable male counterparts.
Men cleaning: Why do unhelpful husbands earn more?
“This effect is even stronger for unsympathetic men with more traditional gender role attitudes and when their wives are very conscientious,” said lead author Brittany C. Solomon.
This, she adds, is “presumably because in these cases, their wives do more of the household chores and perform the tasks more smoothly.”
The study suggests that these uncomfortable Men can save more time and energy at home, they can invest those extra resources in their jobs and earn more.
However, the team found that dislikability does not predict career success for more egalitarian men or for those whose wives are less conscientious.
The career benefits of dislikability come at a price
Previous research has shown that inconvenience predicts financial success (particularly for men) and that this association is attributed to behavior at work.
But this effect remains puzzling given that inconvenience is negatively associated with valued workplace behaviors such as cooperation and prosocial behavior.
The researchers behind the current study suggest that the male “intolerance premium” can be better understood by considering the unbalanced social exchanges at home, particularly with spouses.
“Our findings build on the conventional wisdom that organizations appear to reward undesirable behavior in the workplace and underscore the importance of social interaction at home for success at work,” said Solomon.
Employers can also play a role in reducing the burden of household chores
Solomon suggested that organizations could recognize the role that spouse exchange plays in individual success, which they could prompt greater effort to lighten the burden of home responsibilities.
This could allow employees to conserve resources that could then be invested in their jobs, Solomon added.
“To help those who don’t have the inbuilt facility for the home that improve workplace participation and pay, companies can consider investing in infrastructure that helps create a competitive level playing field,” she said.
These investments could improve the Providing resources outside of work, such as B. setting up childcare programs, pre-screening of caregivers or couriers on advance.
Solomon speculates that these “extras” could increase job participation even more than traditional work-based incentives such as bonuses.
Change company culture
“Practice this A fairer situation for employees outside of work can provide opportunities for more employees to thrive,” she said.
“Additionally, some research shows that men are stigmatized for using flexible working arrangements,” Solomon said.
“Changing organizational culture, in addition to implementing such policies, can affect calculations within a marriage or partnership of whose career should come first and who should do more at home.”
The study has also implications for professional self-management.
Most importantly, the results can impact how employees view the role of other people in their own success, beyond their boss and other members of the organization.
Likewise, it could help improve understanding of how romantic partner choice and home social balance can have a significant impact on professional success.
“Professionals thank you often publicly marry them when they receive awards or promotions,” Solomon said.
“And at least for awkward men, our results quantify the truth behind that sentiment.”
Research: “Why Inconveniences (in Married Men) Lead to More Earnings: A Theory and Test of Home Social Exchange”Authors: Brittany C. Solomon, Matthew E. K. Hall, Cindy P. Muir (Zapata), Elizabeth M. CampbellPublished in: Personal PsychologyPublished Date: May 22, 2021DOI : https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12454Photo: by Werner Heiber from Pixabay
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