| Abstract: |
This paper explores the differences in views between male and female Uruguayan
economists regarding their opinions about market solutions and government
interventions. In line with international evidence, the support to statements
more market-oriented is lower among women than men, but the magnitudes of the
gaps are small. We examine the role of age, family background, exposure to
economic discussions (proxied by postgraduate education, reading of blogs and
press and academic environment), and personality traits (risk aversion,
optimism, and preferences for competition) to explain the gender gaps. Our
results indicate that there is a positive relationship between gender
differences in competitiveness and pro- market opinions. However, the gender
difference remains significant after controlling for explanatory variables,
though the magnitudes are mild. In any case, the findings indicate that
achieving gender balance through the inclusion of women in public debates and
decision-making positions would improve the diversity of perspectives in
economics. |