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Should Mothers Work? How Perceptions of the Social Norm Affect Individual Attitudes Toward Work in the U.S

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia Cortés
  • Gizem Koşar
  • Jessica Pan
  • Basit Zafar

Abstract

We study how peer beliefs shape individual attitudes toward maternal labor supply using realistic hypothetical scenarios that elicit recommendations on the labor supply choices of a mother with a young child and an information treatment embedded within representative surveys. Across the scenarios, we find that individuals systematically overestimate the extent of gender conservativeness of the people around them. Exposure to information on peer beliefs leads to a shift in recommendations, driven largely by information-based belief updating. The information treatment also increases (intended and actual) donations to a non-profit organization advocating for women in the workplace.

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia Cortés & Gizem Koşar & Jessica Pan & Basit Zafar, 2022. "Should Mothers Work? How Perceptions of the Social Norm Affect Individual Attitudes Toward Work in the U.S," NBER Working Papers 30606, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:30606
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    Cited by:

    1. Boneva, Teodora & Golin, Marta & Kaufmann, Katja Maria & Rauh, Christopher, 2022. "Beliefs about Maternal Labor Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 15788, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Francesca Barigozzi & Caterina Gaggini & Natalia Montinari, 2024. "Gender equality norms across generations: Evidence from a representative sample," Working Papers wp1198, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    3. Gørtz, Mette & Sander, Sarah & Sevilla, Almudena, 2025. "Does the child penalty strike twice?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    4. Joanne Haddad & Lamis Kattan, 2024. "Female-Specific Labor Regulation and Employment: Historical Evidence from the United States," CESifo Working Paper Series 11546, CESifo.
    5. Federica Meluzzi, 2024. "The College Melting Pot: Peers, Culture and Women's Job Search," Papers 2409.20225, arXiv.org.
    6. Leonardo Bursztyn & Alexander W. Cappelen & Bertil Tungodden & Alessandra Voena & David H. Yanagizawa-Drott, 2023. "How Are Gender Norms Perceived?," NBER Working Papers 31049, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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