Most couples in Chicago and elsewhere probably assume that sharing the housework is an automatic way to improve a marriage. However, according to a new study conducted in Norway, couples who do an equal amount of the household chores are no less likely to divorce than couples who do an unequal amount of household chores.
The news organization Views and News from Norway came to the conclusion after analyzing a study performed by the Norwegian Social Research Institute. In a report, the news organization stated that “the greatest number of divorces occurred among couples who divided housework equally. More equality, it seems, led to more divorces.”
The report also stated that while most people would assume that divorce would be less common in households with more equality, the opposite is actually true. The report indicated that divorce rates were lower in homes where the wife performed a majority of the household work. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that these more “traditional” homes are any happier.
The report explained that the cause can likely be traced to “values and attitudes” instead of happiness in the marriage. The report said that the traditional couples where the wife does more of the housework are also likely couples who hold marriage at a high value and may look down upon divorce, no matter how unhappy the marriage may be.
On the other hand, the report said that more modern couples who promote equality in the marriage — or where the husband does most of the housework — are likely to have a more modern day view of divorce. However, the report concluded that household work alone is no way to accurately predict a divorce.
What are your thoughts on these findings from Norway?
Source: WTVM, “Sharing housework may lead to divorce,” Michael De Groote, Dec. 6, 2012
