You love your hubby’s support for gender equality and that he does a good share of the housework. But the pluses don’t stop there. Research reveals another reason to appreciate a gender egalitarian dad—his daughters are likely to have higher career aspirations. 

Psychologist Toni Schmader recently presented this finding at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, as reported by LiveScience. In a study of 363 grade-school-age boys and girls and at least one of their parents, Schmader and colleagues examined the development of gender stereotypes in children.

The study shows that, while women’s attitudes towards the roles of men and women tend to be passed on to their kids, it's the dads gender attitudes that actually influence daughters' actions. The fewer gender stereotypes a dad exhibits, the more likely his daughter will desire to work outside the home. In addition, daughters of gender egalitarian dads tend to have broader, less stereotypically gendered interests. For example, they’re likely to reach for a “boy” toy just as often as a “girl” toy. And moms and dads who more equally divide up household chores tend to have daughters who acted less stereotypically girly.  

The study researchers aren't sure why fathers’ attitudes are more influential on their daughters’ behaviors than mothers' attitudes. Schmader speculates it may be because dads are still considered to have a higher status in the household, possibly making their opinions seem more important. In addition, girls may be putting more weight on their dads’ opinions because they view them as a role model for the type of partner they might want in the future. As a result, a daughter's expectations of traditional relationship roles may be influenced by her dad.

While the study doesn't prove that dads’ attitudes toward gender cause the daughters’ actions, it does show the correlation between fathers with egalitarian gender views and daughters with higher workplace ambitions. Schmader suggests it’s possible that daughters who counter gender stereotypes may actually change their dads' attitudes about gender.

Does your hubby do his fair share of housework? Is he more egalitarian overall about gender roles? Tell us about it in the comments below!