Relationships, Chores and
Happiness.
Survey Results by Etienne Do & Beatriz Bernal
07nd February, 2014
Introduction
MakeYourLifeAGame is launching Dish Out, a task-sharing mobile application that allows busy couples to manage their household chores together
Dish Out falls into a new app category called ‘Quantified Relationship’, which applies the concept of ‘Quantified Self’ to the couple. For more information about this concept, please click here.
The objective of this study is to measure the impact of chore management with different inputs within the couple private sphere against the relationship’s overall performance and satisfaction
Introduction
Hypothesis & Expectations
1. Men and women have a different approach with regards
to household chores and evaluating their happiness in the relationship
2. This difference also varies with the relationship stage
3. Cultural differences are observed across different countries and regions
4. Bad chore management within the couple have negative impact on the relationship
Methodology
Online survey sent to family, friends and colleagues,
and expanded through Social Media during 7 days
with a small incentive
504 survey completions out of 902 survey started for
a completion rate of 55%
Qualitative capsule through 5 in-depth interviews
Methodology
The survey was composed of 27 questions: Respondent Profile (4 questions)
Respondent Relationship Profile (13 questions)
Relationship and Chore Management (9 questions)
The 5 qualitative interviews were run in an average 1 hour format, following the survey framework. Interviewees were chosen as follows: 1. Diane H, France, 24, in a relationship for less than one year.
2. Jeremy S, UK, 30, in a relationship since 3 years
3. Martha F, Thailand, 34, in a relationship since 4 years
4. Chloe S, U.S.A, 28, engaged and in a relationship for 6 years
5. John K, Singapore, 45, married for more than 10 years
Respondents Profile
Respondents Profile
Quite balanced
gender distribution
with a majority of
women
43%
57%
Respondents Gender
M
F
Respondents Profile
Respondents age average
is 32.4 years old, with male
respondents being slightly
older than women
33.4
31.7
M F
Average Respondents Age
Respondents Profile
Majority of
respondents (88%)
are working or
working from home
6%
73%
15%
5%
1% 0%
Professional Status
Studying
Working
Working from home
Unemployed but looking for a job
Unemployed / Househusband / Housewife
Retired
Couples Profile
• 48% of the
respondents declare
being in a relationship
• 49% are engaged or
married
Dating 2%
In a relationship 48%
Engaged 13%
Married 36%
It's complicated 1%
Relationship Status
Couples Profile
Quite balanced distribution
in terms of relationship
length:
• 30% of respondents are in
a 2-year relationship or less
• 43% are in a 2-6 year
relationship
• 23% in a 6-10 year
relationship
• 3% are together since
more than10 years
Respondents Profile
Majority of respondents (86%)
live with their partner
86%
14%
Do you live with your Partner?
Yes
No
Couples Profile
• 71% of respondents have
a small argument at least
once a month or more
• 12 % of respondents have
a small argument more than
a week or more
• 85% of have a big
argument less than once a
year
2%
13% 14%
36%
22%
8% 4%
28%
30% 28%
12%
2%
0%
1%
Never Almost Never
At least once a year
At least once a month
At least once a week
More than once a week
Every day
How often do you argue?
Small argument Big argument
Chore Management in the Couple
• 66% of respondents
share their household
chores with their partner
• 28% of respondents
have someone in the
couple that does most of it
66%
20%
8%
6%
How do you split the household tasks ?
We share them
I am doing most of it
My partner is doing most of it
Someone else does everything for us
Chore Management in the Couple
• 51% of respondents split
their household chores
based on areas of
expertise
51%
38%
11%
If you share them, how do you split them?
We have our own areas of 'expertise'
We distribute them together as they come
One of us decides who does what
Respondents Profile Summary
32.4 Average age
88% Working
86% Living with their
partner
504 Respondents
28 Countries
57% Female
Results
Men vs. Women
Results: Men vs. Women
Women are less happy in the way chores are
managed but happier in the relationship overall
Results: Men vs. Women
Chore-management Verbatims
“Sometimes, I have the feeling that if I don’t do anything, nothing will get done”.
“I think the way we manage chores is not perfect but it works”
Martha F, 34, Thailand
Jeremy S, 30, London
Diane H, 24, France
Results: Men vs. Women
Women have a greater lack of affection than men
71%
29%
Do you receive enough signs of affection from your partner?
(Female respondents)
Yes
No
82%
18%
Do you receive enough signs of affection from your partner?
(Male respondents)
Results: Men vs. Women
Women expect their partner to do more. Men less.
52%
48%
Would you like your partner to do more at home? (Female
respondents)
Y
N
24%
76%
Would you like your partner to do more at home? (Male
respondents)
Results: Men vs. Women
Would you like your partner to do more? Verbatims
“I think we managed to find a good balance after all those years”
“Yes, especially for the wedding organisation”
John K, 45, Singapore
Chloe S, 28, U.S.A
Diane H, 24, France
Results: Men vs. Women
Women would like their partner to improve on
House Cleaning. Men want to see improvements
on Intimacy. Activities and Paperwork come
second and third for both genders.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
House cleaning Activities / Leisure Paperwork
Which category would you like your partner to improve the most? Top 3 answers from
women
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Intimacy Activities / Leisure Paperwork
Which category would you like your partner to improve
the most? Top 3 answers from men
Results: Men vs. Women
Women think they’re great at Shopping and
Groceries. Men think their top skill is Electronics
0
50
100
150
200
250
Shopping, Groceries
Cooking House Cleaning
What are the top 3 household tasks categories you excel the most at? Women respondents
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Electronics Activities Leisure Shopping, Groceries
What are the top 3 household tasks categories you excel the
most at? Men respondents
Results
Relationship Stage
Results: Relationship Stage
Respondents Relationship Length Breakdown
12%
18%
24%
19%
15%
8%
3%
Less than a year 1-2 years 2-4 years 4-6 years 6-10 years 10-20 years Over 20 years
How long have you been in your current relationship?
Results: Relationship Stage
Respondents Relationship Length Breakdown
12%
18%
24%
19%
15%
8%
3%
Less than a year 1-2 years 2-4 years 4-6 years 6-10 years 10-20 years Over 20 years
How long have you been in your current relationship?
Young Couples Established
Couples
Veteran Couples
Results: Relationship Stage
The younger and older the relationship is, the
happier people rate it with higher rating as the
couple grows old
7.4
7.6
7.8
8
8.2
8.4
8.6
8.8
9
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
Average Relationship Rating
Results: Relationship Stage
Chore management follow the same pattern, but
this time with young couple giving best ranking on
chore management in the couple
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
Average Chore Management Rating
Results: Relationship Stage
The same trend is observed when we look at how
the household chores are shared. Established
couples is the segment that shares them the less.
58%
60%
62%
64%
66%
68%
70%
72%
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
"We share household chores"
Results: Relationship Stage
How do you split chores? Verbatims
“We have our own areas of expertise which makes a good relationship”
“It comes quite naturally now, we both know what we have to do”
Martha F, 34, Thailand
John F, 45, Singapore
Diane H, 24, France
Results: Relationship Stage
As the relationship grows, couples tend to
specialize in their areas of expertise
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
How do you split the chores?
We have our own areas of expertise
We distribute them as they come
One of us decides who does what
Results: Relationship Stage
Couples are less demanding about their partner at
the beginning of the relationship and when they’ve
been together for more than 6 years
27%
49%
30%
73%
51%
70%
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
Would you like your partner to do more at home?
No
Yes
Results: Relationship Stage
The longer the relationship, the lower the
satisfaction becomes regarding receiving signs of
affection
81%
79%
74%
70%
72%
74%
76%
78%
80%
82%
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
I receive enough signs of affection
Results: Relationship Stage
Signs of affection - Verbatims
“Small details are the ones that count the most”
“Haha, you will see what happens after you get married”
Chloe S, 28, USA
John F, 45, Singapore
Jeremy S, 30, UK
Results: Relationship Stage
The frequency of small arguments is quite stable
but seems to increase as the couple grow old
22% 11% 15%
48%
53% 43%
30% 36%
43%
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
How often do you have a small argument?
Once a week or more
Between once a year and once a month
Almost never or never
Results: Relationship Stage
After being in a relationship for more than 6 years,
big arguments tend to disappear
59% 51%
85%
39% 46%
11%
2% 3% 4%
Young Couples Established Couples Veteran Couples
How often do you have a big argument?
Once a week or more
Between once a year and once a month
Almost never or never
Results
West vs. East
Results: West vs. East
We will now split the respondents into 2 main
regions: West and East*
Responses from Middle East, South America and Africa have been removed
United States 118
United Kingdom 77
France 45
Spain 28
Germany 11
Malta 10
Australia 8
Switzerland 4
New Zealand 3
Belgium 3
Italy 3
Latvia 2
Denmark 2
Luxembourg 1
Ireland 1
Singapore 135
Thailand 12
Malaysia 9
Philippines 7
Taiwan 6
Vietnam 5
Cambodia 4
India 3
Nepal 2
Results: West vs. East
Western couples are better at managing chores,
but Eastern couples rate themselves higher
Responses from Middle East, South America and Africa have been removed
Results: West vs. East
Western couples are more satisfied of the level of
affection received
Responses from Middle East, South America and Africa have been removed
Results: West vs. East
Whilst it’s relatively close, Eastern couples are the
ones that want their partner to do more
Responses from Middle East, South America and Africa have been removed
Results: West vs. East
Eastern couples show more frequent small
arguments
Responses from Middle East, South America and Africa have been removed
Results: West vs. East
And they also show more frequent big arguments
than Western couples
Responses from Middle East, South America and Africa have been removed
Results: Relationship Stage
Arguments - Verbatims
“We get mad at each other for stupid things. The day after we have forgotten”
“A good argument is sometimes good for the relationship”
Martha F, 34, Thailand
John F, 45, Singapore
Jeremy S, 30, UK
Results
Bad Chore Management and Relationship
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
• 72% agree or strongly agree
that bad household chores
management can affect a
couple relationship
• 13% disagree or strongly
disagree
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
• 57% agree or strongly agree
that bad household chores
management can be a break
up motive
• 21% disagree or strongly
disagree
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
Couples that have a small argument more than
once a week rate themselves the lowest in chore
management and overall relationshipp rating
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
Almost Never or Never Between once a year and once a month Once a week or more
Small Arguments and Impact on Relationship Ratings
Average Chore Management Rating Overall Relationship Rating
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
Similar trend is observed for big arguments
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
Almost Never or Never Between once a year and once a month Once a week or more
Big Arguments and Impact on Relationship Rating
Average Chore Management Rating Overall Relationship Rating
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
The more they share, the higher rating is given
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
Similar but softer trend is observed against overall
relationship rating
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Below Average Rating (between 1-7) Average Rating (between 8-9) Above Average Rating (10)
Chore Management vs. Overall Relationship Rating
We share them We have our own areas of expertise
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
• The correlation factor
between Household Chores
Management Rating and
Overall Relationship rating is
.58
0% 1% 3% 4%
9% 12%
22%
34%
12%
4% 0% 0%
1% 0%
3%
3%
11%
21%
34%
26%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Household Task Management and Relationship Rating
Series1 Series2
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
Bad Chore Management = Breakup? Verbatims
“Yes, if the guy doesn’t do anything, it’s a problem for me”
“Agree, but I think less likely to happen after a few years together”
Martha F, 34, Thailand
John F, 45, Singapore
Jeremy S, 30, UK
Results: Bad Chore Management and
Relationship
Bad Chore Management = Breakup? Verbatims
“That’s a bit extreme but I understand that it can happen”
“Possible, but it’s not a fatality, people can fix these kind of issues”
Diane S, 24, France
Chloe S, 28, USA
Thank You!