All time references are in CEST
Measuring complex emotions within the context of family life |
|
| Session Organisers | Dr Natalia Soboleva (University of Milan) Dr Giulia Maria Dotti Sani (University of Milan) |
| Time | Tuesday 18 July, 09:00 - 10:30 |
| Room | |
Despite the increasing importance of gender equality, women still feel responsible for the most household duties and spend more time on household duties and childcare (European Commission, 2021). Also, women are more often considered responsible for their children and are blamed for their problems (Jackson, Mannix, 2004; Buzard et al., 2023). These high expectations towards women along with the idealization of motherhood in the contemporary society can lead to the feeling of guilt, decrease of mental health and other negative emotions. The aim of this session is advance our understanding of how complex emotions (such as love, resentment, guilt, pride, attachment, and ambivalence) shape and are shaped by family dynamics. We thus invite submissions focused on the sociological exploration of measuring complex emotions within the context of family life.
We are particularly interested in papers that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
Conceptualizing complex emotions in family settings: how can sociologists better define and operationalize emotions that are multifaceted and intertwined with family roles and relationships?
Methodological innovations in measuring emotions: what are the methods for capturing and quantifying complex emotional experiences in family interactions?
The role of sociocultural background: how do sociocultural contexts, gender norms, and education and labor market positions positions influence the expression of emotions in families?
Work-life balance: how does combining work and family responsibilities impact emotional state?
Intergenerational emotional dynamics: exploration of emotions across generations and their influence on family cohesion or division.
Emotional labor and caregiving: how do emotions influence caregiving roles? What are the emotional costs and rewards associated with caregiving in the family?
Family transitions and emotional complexity: how life transitions, such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, and loss, shape complex emotional experiences?
Keywords: measuring complex emotions, emotional experience, family life, gender norms
Dr Maria Stoicescu (University of Pavia)
Professor Nevena Kulic (University of Pavia)
Professor Giulia Dotti Sani (University of Milano) - Presenting Author
Professor Anne-Marie Jeannet (University of Milano)
Motherhood ideals significantly influence women's career aspirations, family choices, and fertility decisions. However, there is still limited understanding of what women consider ideal motherhood, and these ideals are often difficult to define, as they may be shaped by circumstances and convenience. This study examines personal ideals of motherhood and societal perceptions of it. Understanding both personal and perceived societal ideals is essential for assessing whether individuals’ views of motherhood align with or differ from societal expectations. The study draws on two motherhood models discussed in the literature—intensive (Hays, 1996) and extensive (Christopher, 2012) motherhood. The presentation will show the results of a conjoint experiment that is used to explore personal ideals and societal perceptions of motherhood in Italy. Based on previous research, seven key dimensions of motherhood are identified—employment, identity, leisure time, childcare support, the father’s role, food preparation, and interactive mother-child activities—and their relating intensive or extensive characteristics. The conjoint experiment is integrated into an online survey of approximatively 6,000 Italian parents and childless respondents and is administered in the fall of 2024. Given Italy’s traditional culture and its movement toward change, we hypothesize that Italian women will favor extensive motherhood practices but perceive societal ideals as leaning toward intensive motherhood. We also expect differences in these perceptions based on education level and region of respondents. The study has the potential to advance research on motherhood and inform policymakers about interventions aimed at supporting mothers and families.
Professor Giulia Maria Dotti Sani (University of Milan)
Professor Nevena Kulic (University of Pavia)
Dr Natalia Soboleva (University of Milan) - Presenting Author
Dr Maria-Valentina Stoicescu (University of Pavia)
Guilt is a common emotional experience among parents, often arising when they perceive that they have failed to fulfill their responsibilities toward their children (Liss et al., 2013; Rizzo et al., 2013). In this study, we investigate parental guilt in Italy, a country where empirical research on this topic is limited, primarily qualitative, and mostly focused on mothers. Specifically, our goal is to identify the presence and structure of current parental guilt among Italian parents, as well as anticipated parental guilt among childless individuals. We examine its determinants using two newly developed scales: the Parental Guilt Scale and the Potential Parental Guilt Scale. These scales differentiate between various types of guilt, including guilt arising from perceived parental responsibility, guilt from experiencing negative emotions, guilt related to unmet expectations of motherhood/fatherhood, parental shame, situational guilt, and work-life balance guilt. Our scales are adapted to the Italian context and apply to both genders, with the Parental Guilt Scale relevant for parents of children at various ages. To analyze how the dimensions of guilt are interrelated, we employ exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The study is based on an online survey conducted in the fall of 2024, involving 6,000 parents and childless individuals across Italian regions. Our findings indicate that both mothers and fathers report similar levels of guilt, with mothers feeling slightly more guilty. Guilt decreases with age, and, for mothers (but not fathers), it is lower when children are older. Additionally, individuals with higher education and those with lower material wealth report greater levels of parental guilt. For mothers, working longer hours increases feelings of guilt, although no similar effect is observed for fathers. Furthermore, adherence to traditional values is linked to higher levels of guilt. Interestingly, childless individuals anticipate experiencing potential guilt, despite not yet being parents.