Measuring Mankeeping: Development and Validation of a Scale Assessing How Women Experience the Impact of Men's Declining Social Networks

Abstract

Mankeeping was theorized as the unreciprocated labor women take on to compensate for losses in men’s social networks, thereby reducing the burden on families, heterosexual bonds, and men. However, there is currently no validated instrument that can reliably assess this theory. Across two studies, this paper aimed to develop and validate a scale to evaluate women’s experiences of mankeeping. Study 1 describes the scale development process using data derived from 402 heterosexually partnered women residing in the United States. Exploratory factor analysis showed a six-factor solution for a 46-item instrument, titled the Mankeeping Scale – Partner Report (MSPR), which demonstrated good reliabil..