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Efficiency Versus Stereotypes: An Experiment In Domestic Production

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  • Hélène Couprie

    (Université de Cergy-Pontoise, THEMA)

  • Elisabeth Cudeville
  • Catherine Sofer

Abstract

Most household models assume that decisions taken inside the family are Pareto optimal. However, empirical studies cast doubts upon the efficiency assumption. The sharing of time among men and women between market work and household work is highly differentiated by gender. In this paper we examine whether couples deviate from efficiency in household production decisions, using an experimental design in which subjects are real couples. The aim of the experiment is to mimic the sharing of highly-gendered household tasks. We compare the sharing of gendered tasks to that of more neutral tasks. By measuring individual productivity in each task, we can see if couples tend to deviate from efficiency, and by how much in each case. As we show that they deviate more when sharing gendered tasks, we also explore why, looking at different possible explanations, and we find evidence of the impact of stereotypes on inefficiencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Hélène Couprie & Elisabeth Cudeville & Catherine Sofer, 2015. "Efficiency Versus Stereotypes: An Experiment In Domestic Production," THEMA Working Papers 2015-06, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
    • Handle: RePEc:ema:worpap:2015-06
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Catherine Sofer & Claire Thibout, 2019. "Women’s investment in career and the household division of labour," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(60), pages 6535-6557, December.
    2. Elisabeth Cudeville & Martine Gross & Catherine Sofer, 2020. "Measuring Gender Norms in Domestic Work: A Comparison between Homosexual and Heterosexual Couples," Post-Print halshs-02468956, HAL.
    3. Andrea Salazar-Díaz, 2022. "Ingreso relativo, identidad de género y brecha en el trabajo doméstico no remunerado: Evidencia para Colombia," Borradores de Economia 1191, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Stereotypes; social norms; household production; time allocation; experiment; production function; household behavior; intra-household decision-making.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior

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