The Relative Deprivation of Husbands in Dual-Earner Households

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Abstract
Evidence from a large national survey indicates that dual-earner men are satisfied with their work, marriages, and personal lives than single-earner men (conventional breadwinners). Dual-earner men report higher perceived well-being and marital satisfaction but lower work and personal satisfaction than dual-earner women. The differences between dual-earner and single-earner men are observed primarily among the young, highly educated, and occupationally successful, and they do not appear for men without children in the home. Reference group theory is used to interpret these apparent effects. Dual-earner men appear to compare themselves to single-earner men and experience relative deprivation with respect to conventional gender expectations regarding the provider role and the services of a nonemployed wife.