Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP15638
Authors: Gaia Dossi; David Figlio; Paola Giuliano; Paola Sapienza
Abstract: Previous research has shown that norms around the role of women in society could help explain the gender gap in mathematics, and that these norms could be transmitted within the family. Using data from the Florida Department of Education combined with birth certificates we uncover important heterogeneity in the transmission of gender biases within the family. We find that gender role norms can explain the lower performance of girls in mathematics only in relatively affluent White families, whereas they do not apparently matter for the performance of Black girls.
Keywords: gender gap in mathematics; cultural transmission
JEL Codes: A13; I20; J16; Z1
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| lower performance of girls in mathematics (D29) | biased family gender norms (J16) |
| family gender norms (J12) | performance of girls in mathematics (I24) |
| biased family gender norms (J16) | lower performance of girls in mathematics (D29) |
| socioeconomic status, family composition, and maternal education (I24) | biased family gender norms (J16) |
| family gender norms (J12) | performance gap among white girls (I24) |