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Cross Cohort Evidence on Gendered Sorting Patterns in the UK: The Importance of Societal Movements versus Childhood Variables

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  • Lekfuangfu, Warn N.

    (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)

  • Lordan, Grace

    (London School of Economics)

Abstract

We consider the extent to which societal shifts have been responsible for an increased tendency for females to sort into traditional male roles over time, versus childhood factors. Drawing on three cohort studies, which follow individuals born in the UK in 1958, 1970 and 2000, we compare the magnitude of the shift in the tendency of females in these cohorts to sort into traditionally male roles as compared to males, to the combined effect of a set of childhood variables. For all three cohorts we find strong evidence of sorting along gendered lines which has decreased substantively over time. We also find that there has been no erosion of the gender gap in the tendency to sort into occupations with the highest share of males. Within cohort, we find little evidence that childhood variables change the tendency for either the average or highest ability female to sort substantively differently. Our work underlines the importance of societal shifts, over and above childhood variables, in determining the sorting patterns we have seen over the last number of decades, and also those that remain today.

Suggested Citation

  • Lekfuangfu, Warn N. & Lordan, Grace, 2018. "Cross Cohort Evidence on Gendered Sorting Patterns in the UK: The Importance of Societal Movements versus Childhood Variables," IZA Discussion Papers 11872, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11872
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    2. Andreas Peichl & Julia Schricker & Henrike von Platen & Ulf Rinne & Hilmar Schneider & Ute Klammer & Christina Boll & Ingo Weller & Lena Göbel, 2019. "Wage Transparency Act against wage discrimination: much effort, little benefit?," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 72(04), pages 03-26, February.
    3. Paul Dolan & Grace Lordan, 2021. "Climbing up ladders and sliding down snakes: an empirical assessment of the effect of social mobility on subjective wellbeing," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1023-1045, December.
    4. Lordan, Grace & McGuire, Alistair, 2019. "Widening the High School Curriculum to Include Soft Skill Training: Impacts on Health, Behaviour, Emotional Wellbeing and Occupational Aspirations," IZA Discussion Papers 12439, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    occupational choice; gender; societal change; childhood influences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J4 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets

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