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Explaining the Gender Test Score Gap in Mathematics: The Role of Gender Inequality

Author

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  • Gevrek, Z. Eylem

    (Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, Porto)

  • Neumeier, Christian

    (University of Konstanz)

  • Gevrek, Deniz

    (Texas A&M University Corpus Christi)

Abstract

Using data from the 2012 PISA across 56 countries, this study examines the link between societal gender inequalities and the gender test score gap in mathematics. We employ a novel two-stage empirical strategy in which the first stage involves decomposing the gender mathematics gap into a part that is explained by gender differences in observable characteristics and a part that remains unexplained. We use a semiparametric Oaxaca-Blinder (OB) decomposition to analyze the gap in each country individually. In the second stage, we investigate whether the decomposition components of the gap are systematically related to country-level gender inequality measures. The results indicate that the gap is not statistically significantly associated with the indicators of gender inequality, but the unexplained part of the gap is. In more gender-equal countries, the unexplained part of the gap favoring boys appears smaller. Moreover, we find that the relationship between the unexplained part of the gap and the societal gender inequality varies within the test score distribution, and tends to become less pronounced at the upper end of the distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Gevrek, Z. Eylem & Neumeier, Christian & Gevrek, Deniz, 2018. "Explaining the Gender Test Score Gap in Mathematics: The Role of Gender Inequality," IZA Discussion Papers 11260, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11260
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ana Maria Munoz Boudet & Lourdes Rodriguez Chamussy & Christina Chiarella & Isil Oral Savonitto, 2021. "Women and STEM in Europe and Central Asia," World Bank Publications - Reports 35463, The World Bank Group.
    2. Paterson, Molly, 2021. "Gender and Disadvantage in the Evolution of Test Score Gaps," Warwick-Monash Economics Student Papers 06, Warwick Monash Economics Student Papers.
    3. Graetz, Georg & Karimi, Arizo, 2019. "Explaining gender gap variation across assessment forms," Working Paper Series 2019:8, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    4. Long, Wenjin & Pang, Xiaopeng & Dong, Xiao-yuan & Zeng, Junxia, 2020. "Is rented accommodation a good choice for primary school students' academic performance? – Evidence from rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    5. Graetz, Georg & Karimi, Arizo, 2022. "Gender gap variation across assessment types: Explanations and implications," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Semiparametric Oaxaca Blinder decomposition; gender math gap; culture;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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