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  4. May 2024
  5. Thinking about Parents: Gender and Field of Study

AEA Papers and Proceedings

ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)

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Thinking about Parents: Gender and Field of Study

  • Michela Carlana
  • Lucia Corno
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 114, May 2024
(pp. 254–58)
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Abstract

Globally, women remain underrepresented in STEM. Our lab-in-the-field study delves into parental influence on adolescents' perceptions of scientific versus humanistic aptitude. We find that thinking about parental recommendation affects students' beliefs on their comparative advantage in a gender-stereotypical way. Girls are 23 percent less likely to choose math when they think about their mothers' recommendation before selecting their field. The paper underscores the critical role that parents play in shaping gender-specific beliefs about academic strengths, highlighting potential avenues for fostering diversity in STEM.

Citation

Carlana, Michela, and Lucia Corno. 2024. "Thinking about Parents: Gender and Field of Study." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 114: 254–58. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20241025

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
  • D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
  • I20 Education and Research Institutions: General
  • J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
  • J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination