Samen kiezen, samen delen?:De invloed van waardenoriëntaties van levenspartners op de geboorte van kinderen en de taakverdeling

In this article, we examine effects of partners' values on the birth of a child, division of domestic labor, division of childcare and division of paid labor of couples. We use panel data from the Panel Study of Social Integration in the Netherlands (PSIN), that include independent measures of partners' values in one wave (1995) and family life behavior in the next wave (1999). Two kinds of values are distinguished: values towards women's emancipation and values towards children. Using theories about 'decision rules' we formulated hypotheses about possible outcomes when partners have dissimilar values. The results show that partners' values are not always identical. Furthermore, values of both partners are found to be equally important in joint decisions. No evidence is found for male or female dominance in values. Partners' values towards children affect mainly choices concerning children and work. Partners' values towards emancipation play a role in choices concerning division of labor within a household