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Mothers manage most household mental tasks, academic survey reports

Mothers handle over 70% of cognitive domestic work, according to a survey reported by BBC News.

Updated Sep 6, 2026 · 00:18 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • A survey of 3,000 US parents found that mothers handled 71% of household duties requiring cognitive effort.[BBC News]
  • Fathers were more often responsible for episodic obligations, including vehicle maintenance schedules.[BBC News]
  • Higher earnings reduce cognitive labor for men, whereas higher-earning women continue to carry equal mental demands.[BBC News]

Key facts

  • A survey of 3,000 US parents by researchers from the University of Bath and the University of Melbourne showed mothers handled 71% of household tasks requiring mental effort.[BBC News]
  • Fathers in the study largely managed episodic tasks that occur infrequently, such as scheduling vehicle servicing.[BBC News]
  • Clinical psychologist Natasha Wallace stated that extended maternity leave relative to paternity leave establishes women as default parents early.[BBC News]
  • Research indicated that higher-earning men reduced both physical and cognitive domestic labor, while higher-earning women reduced physical labor but retained the same cognitive load.[BBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.