Children of the Revolution: How Progressive Are Younger Birth Cohorts in Their Attitudes Toward Parenting Roles?

Brendan Churchill , University of Melbourne

Using data from the longitudinal Household, Income, Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey (n=23, 436) and growth curve analysis, this paper estimates cohort effects in attitudes towards men's and women's roles as parents. This research finds strong cohort effects in attitudes. Birth cohorts born after the Baby Boom indeed hold more progressive attitudes towards women's parenting roles, reflecting their unique socio-historical position as children born after the gender revolution decades prior. Their attitudes towards men's parenting roles, however, are more complicated, perhaps reflecting their socio-historical position too and society's more general struggle towards greater gender equality. This research also makes a strong theoretical contribution, finding that the attitudes of birth cohorts do change over time, contradicting previous decades of research.

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 Presented in Session 215. Gender and Families