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Social Norms and Gendered Occupational Choices of Men and Women: Time to Turn the Tide?

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia Palffy
  • Patrick Lehnert
  • Uschi Backes-Gellner

Abstract

We analyze the relationship between social gender norms and adolescents' occupational choices by combining regional votes on constitutional amendments on gender equality with job application data from a large job board for apprenticeships. Results show that adolescent males in regions with stronger traditional social gender norms are more likely to apply for typically male occupations. This finding does not hold for females, suggesting that incentivizing men to break the norms and choose gender-atypical occupations (e.g., in healthcare) can be even more effective in accelerating advancement toward gender equality in the labor market than incentivizing women to choose STEM occupations.

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia Palffy & Patrick Lehnert & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2021. "Social Norms and Gendered Occupational Choices of Men and Women: Time to Turn the Tide?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0183, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW), revised Oct 2022.
    • Handle: RePEc:iso:educat:0183
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    occupational gender segregation; social norms; occupational choice;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • M59 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Other

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