Gender stereotypes can explain the gender-equality paradox
Thomas Breda
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 181756
- IdHAL : thomas-breda
- ORCID : 0000-0002-6356-7771
- IdRef : 176157824
Elyes Jouini
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 6654
- IdHAL : elyes-jouini
- ORCID : 0000-0003-2506-1726
- IdRef : 034263209
Clotilde Napp
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 741006
- IdHAL : napp
- ORCID : 0000-0002-7008-5949
- IdRef : 130291862
Résumé
The so-called “gender-equality paradox” is the fact that gender segregation across occupations is more pronounced in more egalitarian and more developed countries. Some scholars have explained this paradox by the existence of deeply rooted or intrinsic gender differences in preferences that materialize more easily in countries where economic constraints are more limited. In line with a strand of research in sociology, we show instead that it can be explained by cross-country differences in essentialist gender norms regarding math aptitudes and appropriate occupational choices. To this aim, we propose a measure of the prevalence and extent of internalization of the stereotype that “math is not for girls” at the country level. This is done using individual-level data on the math attitudes of 300,000 15-y-old female and male students in 64 countries. The stereotype associating math to men is stronger in more egalitarian and developed countries. It is also strongly associated with various measures of female underrepresentation in math-intensive fields and can therefore entirely explain the gender-equality paradox. We suggest that economic development and gender equality in rights go hand-in-hand with a reshaping rather than a suppression of gender norms, with the emergence of new and more horizontal forms of social differentiation across genders.
Domaines
Economies et financesFormat du dépôt | Notice |
---|---|
Type de dépôt | Article dans une revue |
Titre |
en
Gender stereotypes can explain the gender-equality paradox
|
Résumé |
en
The so-called “gender-equality paradox” is the fact that gender segregation across occupations is more pronounced in more egalitarian and more developed countries. Some scholars have explained this paradox by the existence of deeply rooted or intrinsic gender differences in preferences that materialize more easily in countries where economic constraints are more limited. In line with a strand of research in sociology, we show instead that it can be explained by cross-country differences in essentialist gender norms regarding math aptitudes and appropriate occupational choices. To this aim, we propose a measure of the prevalence and extent of internalization of the stereotype that “math is not for girls” at the country level. This is done using individual-level data on the math attitudes of 300,000 15-y-old female and male students in 64 countries. The stereotype associating math to men is stronger in more egalitarian and developed countries. It is also strongly associated with various measures of female underrepresentation in math-intensive fields and can therefore entirely explain the gender-equality paradox. We suggest that economic development and gender equality in rights go hand-in-hand with a reshaping rather than a suppression of gender norms, with the emergence of new and more horizontal forms of social differentiation across genders.
|
Auteur(s) |
Thomas Breda
1, 2
, Elyes Jouini
3, 1, 2, 4
, Clotilde Napp
5
, Georgia Thebault
1, 2
1
PSE -
Paris School of Economics
( 301309 )
- 48 boulevard Jourdan 75014 Paris
- France
2
PJSE -
Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques
( 578027 )
- 48 boulevard Jourdan 75014 Paris
- France
3
Université Paris Dauphine-PSL
( 300302 )
- Place du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny
75775 PARIS Cedex 16
- France
4
CEREMADE -
CEntre de REcherches en MAthématiques de la DEcision
( 60 )
- Place du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny 75775 - Paris Cedex 16
- France
5
DRM -
Dauphine Recherches en Management
( 1032 )
- Place du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny 75775 Paris Cedex 16
- France
|
Volume |
117
|
Numéro |
49
|
Page/Identifiant |
31063-31069
|
Date de publication |
2020-12
|
Public visé |
Scientifique
|
Langue du document |
Anglais
|
Nom de la revue |
|
Vulgarisation |
Non
|
Comité de lecture |
Oui
|
Audience |
Internationale
|
Domaine(s) |
|
Projet(s) ANR |
|
Mots-clés |
en
Gender gap in STEM, Gender stereotypes, Socioeconomic development
|
DOI | 10.1073/pnas.2008704117 |
Pubmed Id | 33229558 |
PubMed Central | PMC7733804 |
UT key WOS | 000598974200008 |
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