relationships, chores and happiness. survey results

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

http://blog.dishout.us/2014/01/13/the-rise-of-quantified-relationship/

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


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


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)


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)


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


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


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?


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


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


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


Average Chore Management Rating


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%


"We share household chores"


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”


John F, 45, Singapore

Diane H, 24, France


As the relationship grows, couples tend to

specialize in their areas of expertise

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%


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


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%


Would you like your partner to do more at home?

No

Yes


The longer the relationship, the lower the

satisfaction becomes regarding receiving signs of

affection

81%

79%

74%

70%

72%

74%

76%

78%

80%

82%


I receive enough signs of affection


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


Jeremy S, 30, UK


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%


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


After being in a relationship for more than 6 years,

big arguments tend to disappear

59% 51%

85%

39% 46%

11%

2% 3% 4%


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


Western couples are better at managing chores,

but Eastern couples rate themselves higher



Western couples are more satisfied of the level of

affection received



Whilst it’s relatively close, Eastern couples are the

ones that want their partner to do more



Eastern couples show more frequent small

arguments



And they also show more frequent big arguments

than Western couples



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”



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


Relationship

• 57% agree or strongly agree

that bad household chores

management can be a break

up motive

• 21% disagree or strongly

disagree


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


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


Relationship

The more they share, the higher rating is given


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


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


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”



Jeremy S, 30, UK


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!

[email protected]

relationships, chores and happiness. survey results

Education

women women

majority of respondents

year relationship

questions relationship

quantified relationship

relationship stage3

results men

majority of women