Do Men Care? Estimating Men’s Preferences for Spending Time with Their Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT Is the time men use on childcare and household work the result of preferences or cultural, institutional and economic constraints? Can such constraints be measured when we only observe men’s choices (functionings) but not their capabilities? Using a random utility model together with stochastic specifications of the probability of having different capabilities, this paper shows that it is possible to distinguish between preferences and capabilities. Utilising time use data for Spain, we find that even though men do relatively little childcare, it is important to them. So, men do care to care. Our estimates show that, given our model, only about 9% of men with children have the full capability set, while 58% of them are constrained to a low level of care and housework. According to our model, many of these would not change behaviour if they had the full capability set, but about 20% of fathers would choose to provide more childcare and housework.