Final answer:
Time-diary studies over the last 50 years have shown an increase in household work by men and a decrease by women, reflecting a move towards more gender equality in domestic labor. Nonetheless, women still do a larger share of unpaid domestic work. This reflects changing gender roles and the ongoing challenges of balancing work and family life.
Step-by-step explanation:
In time-diary studies spanning nearly 50 years, a notable change that has been observed is A) A consistent increase for men and decrease for women in the amount of time spent by women and men in household work. This trend reflects an overall movement towards more equality in domestic labor. However, despite this shift, women still tend to shoulder a greater portion of household responsibilities, leading to a discussion about the 'second shift' that many women experience when they have to balance career and domestic work. Although there have been substantial changes in societal norms, the transition towards equal sharing of domestic duties between genders is ongoing.
The 1950s and 1960s saw a rise in the percentage of women working outside the home alongside their roles within it. As women's participation in the workforce increased, men in the United States began to take on a greater share of domestic responsibilities. Despite the progress in gender roles within the household, studies indicate that the amount of unpaid work, such as household chores, caring for children, and cooking, is still performed disproportionately by women. Moreover, women continue to face work-family conflicts and higher levels of stress related to work and home life balance compared to men.