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On the origins of gender gaps in education: stereotype as a self-fulfilling prophecy

Author

Listed:
  • Mingxing Huang

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Hongmei Yi

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Scott Rozelle

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

Using reading performance data from a randomized controlled trial of 5224 fifth-grade students in East China, this paper provides a novel test of the hypothesis that evoking a gender stereotype creates gender gaps in education through self-fulfilling prophecies. We found that without intervention, boys performed worse than girls did in reading tests. Evoking a gender stereotype by indicating the expected outperformance of girls over boys in reading had a significantly negative effect on boys and an insignificant effect on girls. As a result, the net effect on the gender gap in reading performance was economically important but statistically insignificant. We also found evidence that increased anxiety was likely the underlying mechanism. Finally, a heterogeneous analysis showed that boys from environments with biased gender role beliefs were more susceptible to the intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Mingxing Huang & Hongmei Yi & Scott Rozelle, 2025. "On the origins of gender gaps in education: stereotype as a self-fulfilling prophecy," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 38(2), pages 1-30, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:38:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s00148-025-01102-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-025-01102-6
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender gaps in education; Gender stereotypes; Reading performance; Randomized controlled trial;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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