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Born in the family: Preferences for boys and the gender gap in math

Author

Listed:
  • Dossi, Gaia
  • Figlio, David
  • Giuliano, Paola
  • Sapienza, Paola

Abstract

We study the effect of preferences for boys on the performance in mathematics of girls, using evidence from two different data sources. In our first set of results, we identify families with a preference for boys by using fertility stopping rules in a large population of households whose children attend public schools in Florida. Girls growing up in a boy-biased family score on average 3 percentage points lower on math tests when compared to girls raised in other types of families. In our second set of results, we find similar effects when we study the correlations between girls’ performance in mathematics and maternal gender role attitudes, using evidence from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. We conclude that socialization at home can explain a non-trivial part of the observed gender disparities in mathematics performance and document that maternal gender attitudes correlate with those of their children, supporting the hypothesis that preferences transmitted through the family impact children behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Dossi, Gaia & Figlio, David & Giuliano, Paola & Sapienza, Paola, 2021. "Born in the family: Preferences for boys and the gender gap in math," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 175-188.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:183:y:2021:i:c:p:175-188
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2020.12.012
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Born in the Family: Preferences for Boys and the Gender Gap in Math
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2019-03-27 14:35:07

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    3. Maria Laura Di Tommaso & Dalit Contini & Dalila De Rosa & Francesca Ferrara & Daniela Piazzalunga & Ornella Robutti, 2021. "Tackling the gender gap in mathematics with active learning methodologies," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 657, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    4. Nolan, Anne & Whelan, Adele & McGuinness, Seamus & Maître, Bertrand, 2019. "Gender, pensions and income in retirement," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS87.
    5. Deng, Zichen & Lindeboom, Maarten, 2019. "A Bit of Salt, a Trace of Life: Gender Norms and the Impact of a Salt Iodization Program on Human Capital Formation of School Aged Children," IZA Discussion Papers 12629, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Akerlof, Robert & Rayo, Luis, 2020. "Narratives and the Economics of the Family," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1299, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    7. Gaia Dossi & David Figlio & Paola Giuliano & Paola Sapienza, 2021. "The Family Origin of the Math Gender Gap Is a White Affluent Phenomenon," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 111, pages 179-183, May.
    8. Delaney, Judith M. & Devereux, Paul J., 2019. "Understanding gender differences in STEM: Evidence from college applications✰," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 219-238.
    9. Peter Siminski & Rhiannon Yetsenga, 2020. "Rethinking Specialization and the Sexual Division of Labor in the 21st Century," Working Paper Series 2020/04, Economics Discipline Group, UTS Business School, University of Technology, Sydney.
    10. Zichen Deng & Maarten Lindeboom, 2021. "A Bit of Salt, A Trace of Life: Gender Norms and The Impact of a Salt Iodization Program on Human Capital Formation of School Aged Children," Papers 2021-01, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University.
    11. Salland, Jan, 2021. "Income Comparison and Happiness within Households," Working Paper 191/2021, Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg.
    12. CONTE KEIVABU, Risto, 2020. "Too hot to study? Gender and SES differences in the effect of temperature on school performance," SocArXiv whtf5, Center for Open Science.
    13. Francesco D'Acunto & Ulrike M. Malmendier & Michael Weber & Michael Weber, 2020. "Gender Roles and the Gender Expectations Gap," CESifo Working Paper Series 8158, CESifo.
    14. Liwen Chen & Bobby Chung & Guanghua Wang, 2022. "Stay-at-Home Peer Mothers and Gender Norms: Short-run Effects on Educational Outcomes," Working Papers 2022-039, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    15. Sigurdur Gudjonsson & Kari Kristinsson & Inga Minelgaite, 2022. "Follow us, not? Gender differences in financial literacy within the global leader of gender equality," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 10(2), pages 351-361, December.
    16. Zichen Deng & Maarten Lindeboom, 2020. "A Bit of Salt a Trace of Life - Gender Norms and The Impact of a Salt Iodization Program on Human Capital Formation of School Aged Children," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 20-067/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    17. Robitaille, Marie-Claire & Milla, Joniada, 2022. "Son Targeting Fertility Behavior in Albania," IZA Discussion Papers 15122, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Bordón, Paola & Canals, Catalina & Mizala, Alejandra, 2020. "The gender gap in college major choice in Chile," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    19. Deng, Zichen & Lindeboom, Maarten, 2022. "A bit of salt, a trace of life: Gender norms and the impact of a salt iodization program on human capital formation of school aged children," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    20. Katharina Heisig, 2019. "Vom Sinn einer geschlechtsneutralen Erziehung und Bildung," ifo Dresden berichtet, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 27(02), pages 12-16, April.
    21. Alice Bertoletti & Marta Cannistrà & Melisa Diaz Lema & Chiara Masci & Anna Mergoni & Lidia Rossi & Mara Soncin, 2023. "The Determinants of Mathematics Achievement: A Gender Perspective Using Multilevel Random Forest," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, January.
    22. Akerlof, Robert & Rayo, Luis, 2020. "Narratives and the Economics of the Family," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 503, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    23. Di Tommaso, Maria Laura & Contini, Dalit & De Rosa, Dalila & Piazzalunga, Daniela, 2020. "Tackling the Gender Gap in Math with Active Learning Teaching Practices," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202016, University of Turin.
    24. Hanadi Mohamed AbdelSalam & Maura A. E. Pilotti & Omar J. El-Moussa, 2021. "Sustainable Math Education of Female Students during a Pandemic: Online versus Face-to-Face Instruction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-12, November.
    25. Delaney, Judith & Devereux, Paul J., 2019. "Understanding Gender Differences in STEM: Evidence from College Applications," CEPR Discussion Papers 13558, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender differences; Cultural transmission; Math performance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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