Mathematics and Gender: Heterogeneity in Causes and Consequences

Abstract

We exploit an institutional reduction in the costs of acquiring advanced high school mathematics to assess the causes and consequences of fewer girls choosing advanced mathematics. Girls at the top and boys at the middle of the mathematics ability distribution took more mathematics because of the cost reduction. We estimate a positive average earnings effect encompassing girls completing more advanced and more mathematics intensive college degrees, choosing more competitive careers and climbing higher up the corporate hierarchy. Encouraging more students to opt for advanced mathematics has a sizeable positive earnings effect for girls, but no effect for boys at the margin.

Occupational Prestige and the Gender Wage Gap

“…Similarly, including a dummy for math and science occupations, and a measure of how physically demanding an occupation is (Bertrand 2010) do not affect our results (see Table 2). While this at first might seem surprising given previous findings (see, e.g., Joensen and Nielsen 2016), it is possible that this is the result of our wage measure (the median hourly wage), which does not take into account differences within occupations or returns to different types of skills or advanced degrees.…”

The effects of a high school curriculum reform on university enrollment and the choice of college major

“…Third, providing separate estimates of college major choices for males and females adds another piece to the occupational gender gap puzzle. For instance, there is evidence that differences in mathematical abilities can explain gender differences in college major choices (Paglin and Rufolo 1990, Turner and Bowen 1999, Joensen and Nielsen 2014. Part of this gap could stem from female self-selection out of mathematics and science classes if given a choice (Goldin et al 2006).…”

Explaining Gender Differences in Confidence and Overconfidence in Math

“…Several studies have proposed important channels through which substantial gaps in male and female math attainments are produced: socialized gender roles (Guiso et al 2008;Fryer and Levitt 2010;Nollenberger et al 2016;Pope and Sydnor 2010); male-oriented school and societal environments (Autor et al 2016;Joensen and Nielsen 2014;Bedard and Cho 2010); gender differences in preference and competitiveness Vesterlund 2007 andBuser et al 2014;Gneezy et al 2003); and behavioral and environmental differences during childhood (Chetty et al 2016). These studies underscore an interactive relationship between gender gaps in math and societal environments (nurture) instead of an innate imbalance (nature) in quantitative abilities between men and women.…”