The effects of religion on the labor supply of married women

There is a growing literature on the role of religion in economic and demographic behavior. Research has focused on the effects of religious affiliation on the process of marital search and choice of spouse (Chiswick and Lehrer 1991; Grossbard-Shechtman 1993; Waite and Sheps 1994), on the stability of marriages (Becker et al. 1977; Heaton and Pratt 1990; Lehrer and Chiswick 1993), and on the number and timing of children (Heckert and Teachman 1985; Williams and Zimmer 1990; Mosher et al. 1992). Very little is known, however, about how religion affects women’s decisions regarding the allocation of time between home and market. Drawing from both economic and sociological theories, the present study examines channels through which religion may affect such decisions, focusing on the special case of married women.