What's on Her Mind

“It is exactly [the] notion of how gender is embedded in our minds that Daminger’s What’s on Her Mind tackles, helping readers understand how couples negotiate the mental load of family life… . Daminger points us to the importance of centering the mental load in our discussions and not dismissing it as a ‘woman’s issue,’ carefully articulating why having women bogged down in worries about lost socks and dirty dishes is a problem for everyone.”—Leah Ruppanner, Science
”[What’s On Her Mind] makes a compelling, evidence-based case for recognising [mental load] imbalances and identifying where and how to correct them. Perfect family reading over the holidays.” * New Scientist *
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Daminger’s work goes beyond the typical Fair Play conversation. She is most interested in the invisible work required to keep the family running, the cognitive labor that, for the most part, women are responsible for in heterosexual relationships… . Daminger does an incredible job of laying out the different components of cognitive labor and names that anticipating issues and monitoring results are some of the most laborious components (high burden, she calls it) but with less obvious benefits.

An informative analysis… . Daminger demonstrates that although many Americans endorse gender equality, a substantial majority of women do most of the cognitive (and more than their fair share of the physical) work. She explains why and suggests how a more balanced allocation of responsibilities might be achieved.

What’s on Her Mind is a succinct and enjoyable book. Daminger writes well and thoughtfully explains her research.

Allison Daminger is assistant professor of sociology at the University of WisconsinMadison. Her work has been featured in leading publications such as the New York Times, the Guardian, Psychology Today, and the Atlantic.

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