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Wind of Change? Cultural Determinants of Maternal Labor Supply

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  • Barbara Boelmann
  • Anna Raute
  • Uta Schönberg

Abstract

We investigate the role of cultural norms in shaping women's labor supply decisions after childbirth. Specifically, we are interested in the interplay between childhood socialization and adulthood environment. To that end, we leverage the setting of the German reunification when East Germany's gender-egalitarian culture induced by socialism and West Germany's more traditional culture were brought together. We find that East German gender norms are persistent, whereas West German ones are not. West German mothers adjust their behavior to that of their East German peers not only when immersed in East German environment but even after returning to the West.

Suggested Citation

  • Barbara Boelmann & Anna Raute & Uta Schönberg, 2025. "Wind of Change? Cultural Determinants of Maternal Labor Supply," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(2), pages 41-74, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:41-74
    DOI: 10.1257/app.20220567
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pamela Campa & Michel Serafinelli, 2019. "Politico-Economic Regimes and Attitudes: Female Workers under State Socialism," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(2), pages 233-248, May.
    2. Emily Oster, 2019. "Unobservable Selection and Coefficient Stability: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 187-204, April.
    3. Joseph G. Altonji & Todd E. Elder & Christopher R. Taber, 2005. "Selection on Observed and Unobserved Variables: Assessing the Effectiveness of Catholic Schools," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 113(1), pages 151-184, February.
    4. Jennifer Hunt, 2006. "Staunching Emigration from East Germany: Age and the Determinants of Migration," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 4(5), pages 1014-1037, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gan, Renren & Jongen, Egbert L. W. & Rabaté, Simon & Terpstra, Bo, 2025. "The Evolution of the Child Penalty and Gender-Related Inequality in the Netherlands, 1989–2022," IZA Discussion Papers 18158, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Huang, Chen & Jia, Ning, 2025. "Do policies reshape attitudes? Evidence from maternity leave expansion in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    3. Gema Lax-Martinez & Marco Le Moglie & Matteo Sandi, 2025. "Educated to Be Mothers? School Reform and Demographic Backlash," CESifo Working Paper Series 12251, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • 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
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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