Picture a professional couple, Jack and Jill, who are committed to a relationship in which household responsibilities are shared evenly. Now imagine Jack and Jill differ in how they see their home.
When Jill enters the messy kitchen, she sees the dishes as to be washed and the recycling bin as to be taken out. Jack, of course, sees there are dishes in the sink and the recycling bin is full. But these perceptions do not “tug” at him – he does not see the mess as tasks that must be done.
The results of our recent study suggest men and women are trained by society to see different possibilities for action when they look at mess in their home. We believe this insight could help heterosexual couples share chores more evenly too. But it’s important to understand the root causes of the issue.
