Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa
| dc.contributor.advisor | Jaga, Ameeta | |
| dc.contributor.author | De Waal, Michaela | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-01T09:53:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-01T09:53:07Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2026-07-01T09:28:09Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Mental labour, an often invisible but essential aspect of unpaid care work, remains disproportionately carried by women in dual-earning heterosexual households. In South Africa, where unpaid care is a major contributor to gender inequality, this form of work has received limited focused study. Mental labour refers to the cognitive, managerial, and anticipatory responsibilities involved in running a household, and its distribution reflects broader gendered expectations. This study examines how gender norms shape the experience and allocation of mental labour among four South African couples. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with each partner to explore how daily household responsibilities are organised, negotiated, and justified. A gender constructionist framework, particularly the concept of “doing gender,” was used to analyse the data, allowing attention to the ways in which practices of care are reproduced through everyday interactions. Findings show that while men may share physical household tasks, women overwhelmingly remain responsible for mental labour. This includes anticipating needs, monitoring emotional well-being, and coordinating domestic routines. Tools such as shared calendars, messaging apps, and assistance from extended family provide some relief, yet they rarely challenge underlying assumptions that women are ultimately accountable for household management. Instead, these strategies often reproduce traditional gender roles by presenting men's contributions as optional or secondary. By situating these dynamics within the South African context, the study underscores the persistence of gendered inequalities in unpaid care work. It also points to the need for both cultural change and policy interventions, such as workplace flexibility and parental leave, to encourage a more equitable distribution of responsibilities. In highlighting mental labour as a key dimension of gendered inequality, this research contributes to ongoing debates about care, equity, and social transformation. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | De Waal, M. (2026). <i>Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Organisational Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43439 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | De Waal, Michaela. <i>"Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Organisational Psychology, 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43439 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | De Waal, M. 2026. Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Organisational Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43439 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - De Waal, Michaela AB - Mental labour, an often invisible but essential aspect of unpaid care work, remains disproportionately carried by women in dual-earning heterosexual households. In South Africa, where unpaid care is a major contributor to gender inequality, this form of work has received limited focused study. Mental labour refers to the cognitive, managerial, and anticipatory responsibilities involved in running a household, and its distribution reflects broader gendered expectations. This study examines how gender norms shape the experience and allocation of mental labour among four South African couples. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with each partner to explore how daily household responsibilities are organised, negotiated, and justified. A gender constructionist framework, particularly the concept of “doing gender,” was used to analyse the data, allowing attention to the ways in which practices of care are reproduced through everyday interactions. Findings show that while men may share physical household tasks, women overwhelmingly remain responsible for mental labour. This includes anticipating needs, monitoring emotional well-being, and coordinating domestic routines. Tools such as shared calendars, messaging apps, and assistance from extended family provide some relief, yet they rarely challenge underlying assumptions that women are ultimately accountable for household management. Instead, these strategies often reproduce traditional gender roles by presenting men's contributions as optional or secondary. By situating these dynamics within the South African context, the study underscores the persistence of gendered inequalities in unpaid care work. It also points to the need for both cultural change and policy interventions, such as workplace flexibility and parental leave, to encourage a more equitable distribution of responsibilities. In highlighting mental labour as a key dimension of gendered inequality, this research contributes to ongoing debates about care, equity, and social transformation. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Mental labour KW - unpaid care work KW - gender norms KW - dual-earning couples KW - invisible labour LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa TI - Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43439 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43439 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | De Waal M. Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Organisational Psychology, 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43439 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Organisational Psychology | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Commerce | |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Cape Town | |
| dc.subject | Mental labour | |
| dc.subject | unpaid care work | |
| dc.subject | gender norms | |
| dc.subject | dual-earning couples | |
| dc.subject | invisible labour | |
| dc.title | Exploring mental labour among dual-earner couples in South Africa | |
| dc.type | Thesis / Dissertation | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters |