Perceptions of Mothers and Fathers Who Take Temporary Work Leave

Abstract

The current research investigates perceptions of parents who take temporary leave before returning to work after the birth of a child. This research adds to the current literature by experimentally assessing participants' views of fathers who take leave in addition to mothers who take leave. We used an undergraduate sample (N=167) from a small regional university in the Midwestern United States to assess participants' reactions to scenarios involving a mother or a father who went back to work immediately, took a 12-week leave, or stayed at home with the child indefinitely. The results showed that parents who took leave were rated more positively than stay-at-home parents and working parents. Parents who took leave were also rated as more competent than stay-at-home parents and more warm than working parents. Further, parents who took leave were expected to be less successful in their careers than working parents but more successful than parents who stayed at home. Participants had a more favorable overall impression of parents who took leave when that parent was of the same gender as themselves. Additionally, female participants were more favorable about mothers and fathers breaking traditional gender roles than were male participants. This research supports the idea that traditional views of mothers and fathers may be changing. Implications for work and government policies that are supportive of mothers and fathers taking family leave are discussed.

Ambivalent sexism and perceptions of men and women who violate gendered family roles

“…In a similar manner, Brescoll and Uhlmann (2005) found that participants felt less warmly toward an employed mother and a stay-at-home father than their traditional counterparts, believed that the stay-at-home father was a worse parent, and viewed the employed mother as more selfish than the employed father. More recently, Coleman and Franiuk (2011) found that a woman who returned to work immediately after the birth of a child was viewed as less warm than a woman who took a temporary leave or stayed at home, while a man who stayed at home was viewed as less competent than a man who took a temporary leave or remained working (Coleman & Franiuk, 2011).…”

Breadwinning Moms, Caregiving Dads

“…In a study conducted more than two decades ago, a stay-at-home father who assumed primary responsibility for child care and housework was evaluated more negatively than a similar stay-at-home mother (Rosenwasser, Gonzales, & Adams, 1985). Nevertheless, these findings were recently replicated in several studies in which a stay-at-home father and an employed mother were evaluated more negatively than a stay-at-home mother and an employed father (Brescoll & Uhlmann, 2005;Coleman & Franiuk, 2011). In Brescoll and Uhlmann (2005) study, participants felt less warmly toward the employed mother and the stay-at-home father than their traditional counterparts, believed that the stay-at-home father was a worse parent, and viewed the employed mother as more selfish than the employed father.…”

The Effect of Task, Organizational, and Family Factors on Taking Parental Leave: Gender Differences among Employees

“…Employers are likely to want employees who stay at work and prefer employees who do not take parental leave. Coleman and Franiuk (2011) also revealed parents who took parental leave were perceived as less successful in their career than working parents. If employers are aware of employees taking parental leave, they are less likely to give those employees crucial responsibilities and are less likely to promote them.…”