nep-lam New Economics Papers
on Central and South America
Issue of 2025–04–07
two papers chosen by
Maximo Rossi, Universidad de la RepÃúºblica


  1. Hard Times, Hard Attitudes? The Effect of Economic Downturns on Gender Norms By Inés Berniell; Leonardo Gasparini; Mariana Marchionni; Mariana Viollaz
  2. Breaking Barriers in Retirement Planning: Evidence from Colombia’s Dual-Advisory Program By Becerra Camargo, Oscar Reinaldo; Cavallo, Eduardo; Guzmán Gutiérrez, Carlos Santiago

  1. By: Inés Berniell (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP); Leonardo Gasparini (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP & CONICET); Mariana Marchionni (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP & CONICET); Mariana Viollaz (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP & IZA)
    Abstract: This paper examines the impact of economic fluctuations on social norms, specifically exploring the link between changes in unemployment and shifts in attitudes toward gender roles in the labor market. The results are not immediately obvious, as the literature suggests several potential mechanisms with conflicting outcomes. Using microdata from the World Values Survey for a panel of 103 countries that cover close to 90% of the world population, we estimate individual-level probability models of agreement with traditional gender roles over the period 1995 to 2021, including country and year fixed effects. We find that an increase in unemployment is associated to more conservative views about gender roles in the labor market. This result is remarkably robust across different groups and specifications. We also find that some contextual factors matter. In particular, the link between higher unemployment and more conservative views on gender roles is stronger in countries with, on average, higher gender inequality and lower female labor force participation. Overall, this study contributes to a growing body of research on the complex relationship between economic conditions, gender norms, and social change.
    JEL: J16 J21 J22 Z1
    Date: 2025–03
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dls:wpaper:0346
  2. By: Becerra Camargo, Oscar Reinaldo (Universidad de los Andes); Cavallo, Eduardo (Inter-American Development Bank); Guzmán Gutiérrez, Carlos Santiago (University of Oxford)
    Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of behavioral frictions and information provision on retirement planning through the Dual Advisory program in Colombia. The program gradually became mandatory to prevent costly mistakes and offered personalized information on switching pension plans. Using a regression discontinuity design and administrative data, we estimate the causal effects of the program on switching behavior and contribution patterns. The findings indicate that the program reduced unfavorable switches by approximately 29.5%, due to a combination of deterring would-be switchers for whom the switch would have resulted in lower expected pension (22.7%) and the information received by those who attended the sessions (6.7%). However, the program also deterred favorable switches by 10.7%. There is no evidence of the program affecting contribution frequency post-intervention.
    Keywords: Information provision; retirement planning; pensions; switching cost; inertia.
    JEL: D14 G53 H55 I22
    Date: 2025–03–27
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:000089:021365

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