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The attitudinal gender gap of an economics education

Author

Listed:
  • Curtis R. Price

    (University of Southern Indiana)

  • Perry Burnett

    (University of Southern Indiana)

  • Daria Sevastianova

    (University of Southern Indiana)

Abstract

This note measures changes in how college students' beliefs change concerning the ailments of the economy when they take an introductory macroeconomics course. We measure this change by comparing results of pre- and post-surveys based on the popular survey: The Survey of Americans and Economists on the Economy (1996, Caplan 2002). We measure students' beliefs on the problems facing the economy which range from taxes to regulation. Survey results indicate that at the beginning of the course male and female students have nearly identical beliefs concerning the problems in the economy. At the end of the course male and female students' beliefs about the ailments of the economy have shifted and diverged. We discuss the implications of this research in the context of generating interest in economics from female students and how these disparate beliefs may affect policy prescriptions.

Suggested Citation

  • Curtis R. Price & Perry Burnett & Daria Sevastianova, 2022. "The attitudinal gender gap of an economics education," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 42(1), pages 233-243.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-21-00434
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender Gap; Economic Education; Policy Attitudes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A2 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education

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