Birthrates, marriage, gender roles will change dramatically in post-pandemic world, scientists predict

COVID-19 and America ’s response to it are likely to profoundly affect our families, work lives, relationships and gender roles for years, say12 prominent scientists and authors who analyzed 90 research studies and used their expertiseto evaluate our reaction to the pandemic andpredict its aftermath.The group, which included several UCLA researchers, foresees enduring psychologicalfallout from thecrisis, even amongthose who haven ’t been infected. Their predictions and insights,published Oct. 22 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, include:Planned pregnancies will decrease in a disease-ridden world, birthrates will drop, and many couples will postpone marriage, said senior author and UCLA professor of psychology and communication studies Martie Haselton.People who are single are less likely to start new relationships. Women who can afford to be on their own are likely to stay single longer, Haselton said.With children home due to the pandemic, women are spending more time providing care and schooling, are less available for paying work and may come to rely more on male partners as breadwinners, Haselton said. This will push us toward socially conservative gender norms and potentially result in a backslide in gender equality.Unlike many past crises, this pandemic is not bringing people closer together and, despite some exceptions, it is not producing an increase in kindness, empathy or compassion, especially in the U.S., said lead author Benjami...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news