Norm-Shifting Interventions and Beliefs about Gender Norms in Paraguay

We conduct a lab experiment in the field in Paraguay to understand how individuals form individual and common beliefs around gender norms (i.e., around gender roles, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health and rights) and to evaluate whether a norm-shifting intervention influences these beliefs. We document a wedge between individual (first-order) and common (second-order) beliefs with participants believing others are less inclined toward gender equity and empowerment than they actually are, suggesting the presence of misperceived norms. We also find that the intervention is associated with an increase in individual normative beliefs toward more equitable sharing of household responsibilities.