Cognitive labor

Cognitive labor is the mental planning, organizing, and scheduling side of invisible labor, done mostly by women.

Cognitive labor is sociological and feminist concept referring to the invisible mental work many women do in relationships and families.^[1] It is related to invisible labor, emotional labor, and unpaid work^[2] while emphasizing the cost of planning, organizing, scheduling, managing and worrying, in addition to "executing."^[3][4] The distribution of cognitive labor falls disproportionately on women.^[5] Handling the majority of cognitive labor is a burden that prevents women from pursuing opportunities or achieving greater health and happiness.^[6] A recommendation for balancing cognitive labor is making it more explicit and visible.^[7]

References

1. Daminger, Allison (2019). "The Cognitive Dimension of Household Labor". American Sociological Review. 84 (4): 609–633. ISSN 0003-1224.
2. Daminger, Allison (2019-09-19). "How Couples Share "Cognitive Labor" and Why it Matters". Behavioral Scientist. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
3. "The Unseen Inequity of Cognitive Labor". Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
4. Daminger, Allison (2024-03-04). "A Cognitive Labor of Love - by Allison Daminger". Behavioral Scientist. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
5. Kecmanovic, Jelena. "Tired of Doing the Invisible Work in Your Family? | Psychology Today". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
6. Hogenboom, Melissa. "The hidden load: How 'thinking of everything' holds mums back". BBC. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
7. Grose, Jessica (June 2, 2021). "Why Women Do the Household Worrying". NY Times. Retrieved September 20, 2024.