ISSP 2012: Family, Work and Gender Roles IV: Finnish Data

The survey charted Finnish views on family and family roles, work and division of labour. The respondents were asked to what extent they agreed with statements about working women and the roles of men and women in the family, the importance of marriage, parenting capabilities of single parents and same-sex couples, and the importance of children to parents. Opinions on the ideal number of children in a family were investigated. Views on paid parental leave (its length, who should be responsible for its costs and how it should be divided between the mother and father) were examined as well as opinions on the responsibilities of the mother and father in terms of work and childcare. Concerning child day care, the respondents were asked who should primarily offer child day care services and who should mainly be responsible for the costs of day care. Similar questions were asked about the home help services for the elderly. Number of hours per week spent on chores and taking care of family members by the respondents were charted. Those respondents who were cohabiting, married or in a civil union were asked questions focusing on the management of finances, division of chores, decision-making concerning leisure time, and differences in income. Tiredness resulting from work, chores or family duties was investigated as well as self-perceived general health and satisfaction in work, family life and life in general. Those respondents who had children were asked whether they or their spouse had worked outside home when the children were young and who was/had been responsible for raising the children. Background variables included, among others, the respondent's gender, year of birth, marital status, number of years in education, level and length of education, number of hours per week spent working, status in employment, economic activity, spouse's education level and status in employment, self-perceived social class, religious affiliation, political party choice in the previous parliamentary elections, household composition, monthly gross income of the respondent and the household, and the degree of urbanisation of the municipality of residence.