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SociologyArticle 13 · Vol. 1, Issue 4, June 2026 · pp. 114–122

Revealing Persistent Gender Norms: A Secondary Analysis of Pew Research Center’s National Survey on Indian Family Roles

Abstract

Indian society is shaped by patriarchal norms, and gender roles in India reflect a complex interplay between traditional gender norms and emerging egalitarian ideals. This paper analyses public attitudes toward gender roles using secondary data from the report “How Indians View Gender Roles in Families and Society” (2022) published by the Pew Research Centre. This study adopts a qualitative thematic analysis approach and reanalyses nationally representative survey data to identify key patterns and contradictions in gender perceptions. The findings from this study show that there is a strong contrast between what people actually believe and how they perform in public and how they want to function within their family. Many of the people show greater support for gender equality, treating men and women equally irrespective of their caste, class, etc., and they are really welcoming, especially when it comes to women coming to the forefront of society and taking up leadership roles and being part of the decision-making process. But this is not the actual scenario. Patriarchal viewpoints still have a strong influence on everyday family life, as views on household responsibilities, male authority, and a preference for sons continue to follow conventional patterns. The interesting fact is that these attitudes do not differ across gender or age groups, suggesting that such norms are deeply ingrained in society. However, factors like education, religion, and region do create some differences, shaping how individuals perceive and respond to gender roles to a certain extent. The study points out a significant gap between ideological acceptance of gender equality and its practical application in everyday life. It implies the need for interventions to change these situations and bring about equality. These interventions should address not only structural inequalities but also the deeply entrenched cultural patriarchal norms, which see women as subordinate, particularly within the family. This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of gender dynamics in contemporary Indian society.

Keywords:

Gender rolespatriarchygender attitudesdecision making

How to Cite

Athira Venugopal, Dr. Sibin Mathew Medayil (2026). Revealing Persistent Gender Norms: A Secondary Analysis of Pew Research Center’s National Survey on Indian Family Roles. Veritas: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(4), 114–122.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21195038

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