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How Early Adolescent Skills and Preferences Shape Economics Education Choices

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Listed:
  • Lenka Fiala
  • John Eric Humphries
  • Juanna Schrøter Joensen
  • Uditi Karna
  • John A. List
  • Gregory F. Veramendi

Abstract

Leveraging data from Sweden and Chicago, we study the educational pipeline for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and economics majors to better understand the determinants of the gender gap and when these determinants arise. We present three findings. First, females are less likely to select STEM courses in high school despite equal or better preparation. Second, there are important gender differences in preferences and beliefs, even conditional on ability. Third, early differences in preferences and beliefs explain more of the gaps in high school sorting than other candidate variables. High school sorting then explains a large portion of the gender difference in college majors.

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  • Lenka Fiala & John Eric Humphries & Juanna Schrøter Joensen & Uditi Karna & John A. List & Gregory F. Veramendi, 2022. "How Early Adolescent Skills and Preferences Shape Economics Education Choices," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 112, pages 609-613, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:apandp:v:112:y:2022:p:609-13
    DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20221037
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    Cited by:

    1. Amanda Chuan & John A. List & Anya Samek & Shreemayi Samujjwala, 2022. "Parental Investments in Early Childhood and the Gender Gap in Math and Literacy," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 112, pages 603-608, May.
    2. Ronald B. Davies & Zuzanna Studnicka, 2023. "A review of submissions to International Tax and Public Finance, 2010–2020," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(4), pages 1185-1201, August.
    3. John Eric Humphries & Juanna Schrøter Joensen & Gregory F. Veramendi, 2024. "The Gender Wage Gap: Skills, Sorting, and Returns," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 114, pages 259-264, May.

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    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • 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

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