Where does it pay to be a primary breadwinner? an examination of organizational gender norms and primary breadwinner premiums

Abstract

Recent research demonstrates that both men and women benefit from being a primary breadwinner, receiving higher pay relative to workers who are dual-career or secondary earners, even after controlling for performance (Manchester, Leslie, & Dahm, 2019; Bear & Glick, 2017). At the same time, one explanation for the gender pay gap among professionals is that women are penalized for gender norm violations in contexts where gender is salient, such as in male dominated organizations or occupations, relative to feminine or gender-neutral contexts (Heilman et al., 2004, 2007). As the primary breadwinner role is a traditionally male role, this suggests that whether women benefit from the primary breadwinner signal may vary based on gender norm context, namely whether masculine gender norms are particularly salient. This paper examines how the gender norm context influences pay differences by breadwinner role and gender, considering perceptions of likability and commitment as mechanisms. Results from a field study conducted at a male-dominated company show that women benefit less than men from being a primary breadwinner in terms of pay. A companion lab study provides causal evidence by manipulating gender and breadwinner role in two organizational contexts – higher masculine and lower masculine– enabling tests of pay differences by breadwinner role, gender, and context. Holding performance, human capital, and hours the same across employee conditions, I find that the premium is greater for men than women in the higher masculine context. However, the results suggest the premium is driven by a penalty for dual-career men rather than a penalty for primary breadwinner women. Perceptions of likability and commitment are explored as potential mechanisms. Identifying primary breadwinner pay premiums by gender norm context advances understanding of the role of gender norms in career rewards for both men and women.