The need for diverse methodological approaches: conclusions and next steps

Quantitative measurement of norms is still in its early stages, and much more work is needed to develop standards and methods, to validate them, and to establish how the types of measures used are linked to outcomes. However, quantitative approaches to norms measurement should not be adopted in isolation from other approaches; diverse approaches are essential. 

Wherever possible, quantitative assessment of the existence and strength of gendered social norms should be accompanied by qualitative data gathering, such as anthropological observation, the discussion of vignettes and in-depth interviews and focus groups. It may also be wise to draw different components of a norm from different instruments. For example, surveys may struggle to identify influential reference groups, as noted by Stefanik and Hwang (2017): it might be more profitable to gather this information through a qualitative assessment or, as noted by Mackie et al. (2015) via social network analysis. 

Research by Oxfam’s WE-Care initiative shows how quantitative and qualitative approaches to norms measurement can enhance each other. Karimli et al. (2016) found that the initiative’s Household Care Survey in five countries provided quantitative measures of norms around the gendered division of care, while also signalling substantial support for the sharing of care and productive work by couples: up to 90% of men and women reported that this was considered acceptable under some circumstances. Focus group discussions then helped to identify context-specific activities that participants considered more acceptable for men. In Zimbabwe, these included water and fuel collection in areas where such resources were scarce, as well as meal preparation as demonstrated by Samman (2018). Taken together, this information resulted in nuanced recommendations, such as local programming that should begin by promoting male involvement in specific care activities that were aligned with local perceptions of masculinity.

Conclusions and next steps

It is clear both that many promising experiments and initiatives – often on a small scale – have shown promise in measuring the impact of social norms upon gendered practices, ranging from female labour force participation and child marriage to girls’ educational attainment. This guide has illustrated current quantitative approaches to norms measurement, drawing on both dedicated measures as well as indicators that already exist in large-scale existing datasets. It has also stressed the need for future testing and experimentation to devise more accurate and efficient indicators that are scalable, but also indicators that provide context specific nuance. Finally, it has highlighted the synergies that arise when diverse methods are used in combination.