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on Gender |
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Issue of 2025–11–10
three papers chosen by Jan Sauermann, Institutet för Arbetsmarknads- och Utbildningspolitisk Utvärdering |
| By: | Caroline Graf (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Social Sciences, Netherlands); Andreas Pondorfer (TU Munich, TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainablity & TUM School of Management, Germany); Jonathan Schulz (George Mason University, Economics, USA) |
| Abstract: | Gender differences in preferences play a crucial role in shaping economic outcomes. This study examines cross-societal variation in gender differences in honesty, testing whether they reflect innate traits or are shaped by social norms. Using global experimental and survey data, we find that gender differences in honesty emerge primarily in Western societies, where women report stronger honesty norms than men, while such differences are absent in non-Western societies. Additional evidence shows that gender differences in honesty norms are transmitted across generations and narrow as countries become wealthier. These patterns suggest that gender differences in honesty are better explained by socialization rather than innate traits. |
| Keywords: | honesty, gender differences, socialization |
| JEL: | C90 D91 Z10 |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aiw:wpaper:45 |
| By: | De Paola, Maria (University of Calabria); Ordine, Patrizia; Rose, Giuseppe (University of Calabria) |
| Abstract: | This study examines whether awareness of implicit gender-science stereotypes influences university enrollment in STEM fields. We designed a randomized controlled trial involving 566 Italian high school seniors, combining surveys with an Implicit Association Test to measure unconscious biases. Before students finalized their university enrollment, a treatment group received personalized feedback on their IAT scores, while a control group received no information. Results show that revealing implicit stereotypes significantly reshapes educational choices, but with sharply contrasting gender effects. For women—who initially exhibited stronger stereotypes—feedback increased the probability of enrolling in STEM majors. Conversely, men with strong stereotypes who received feedback became less likely to choose STEM fields. These results highlight that awareness of implicit biases can be a powerful yet double-edged tool for addressing gender gaps in STEM education. |
| Keywords: | randomized control trial, gender inequality, STEM Disciplines, gender stereotypes |
| JEL: | J16 I20 I24 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18226 |
| By: | Scoppa, Vincenzo (University of Calabria); Spanò, Idola Francesca (University of Calabria) |
| Abstract: | Gender gaps in labor market outcomes have traditionally been attributed to differences in individual productivity or to discrimination. More recently, several studies have documented the role of gender differences in psychological attitudes. Rather than using data on realized wages, we rely on data on reservation wages – the lowest wage workers are willing to accept – for a sample of Italian graduates. Reservation wages reflect individual attitudes and beliefs more directly, while being less affected by employer discrimination. We first relate reservation wages to educational background, individual characteristics, and family background, and investigate how they depend on labor market expectations. We then analyze how reservation wages depend on preferences over specific job attributes, such as permanent positions, geographical mobility, etc. Applying the Gelbach decomposition to quantify the contribution of each factors, we find a substantial role for preferences for job attributes and expectations. However, our estimates reveal a large unexplained component which is likely driven by gender differences in psychological and social attitudes, such as risk aversion, overconfidence and adherence to social norms. |
| Keywords: | Psychological Attitudes, Graduate Labor Market, Reservation Wages, Gender Gaps, Behavioral Economics |
| JEL: | J16 J32 D83 D91 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18230 |