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On the Intergenerational Transmission of STEM Education among Graduate Students

Author

Listed:
  • Chise Diana

    (European Central Bank, Directorate General Information Systems, Frankfurt am Main, Germany)

  • Fort Margherita

    (Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy)

  • Monfardini Chiara

    (Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

We provide novel evidence on the existence and extent of the intergenerational transmission of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education using a recent large administrative dataset of Italian graduates obtained from the AlmaLaurea survey. We find sizeable intergenerational associations in university graduation from STEM programs and demonstrate that these varies strongly according to both the parent’s and the child’s gender. The paternal outweighs the maternal intergenerational relationship and is larger for sons than for daughters. While the documented STEM education transmission is not driven by parental liberal profession for most STEM fields, this is the case for some non-STEM fields (economic and legal studies), consistent with the presence of barriers to entry into some professions.

Suggested Citation

  • Chise Diana & Fort Margherita & Monfardini Chiara, 2021. "On the Intergenerational Transmission of STEM Education among Graduate Students," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 21(1), pages 115-145, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:21:y:2021:i:1:p:115-145:n:6
    DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2020-0052
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Kuhn & Stefan C. Wolter, 2023. "The strength of gender norms and gender‐stereotypical occupational aspirations among adolescents," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(1), pages 101-124, February.
    2. Graziella Bertocchi & Luca Bonacini & Marina Murat, 2021. "Adams and Eves: The Gender Gap in Economics Majors," EIEF Working Papers Series 2115, Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF), revised Dec 2021.
    3. Stefania Basiglio & Daniela Del Boca & Chiara Pronzato, 2023. "The Impact of the "Coding Girls" Program on High School Students' Educational Choices," Working Papers 2023-006, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    4. Stefania Basiglio & Daniela Del Boca & Chiara Daniela Pronzato, 2023. "The Impact of the “Coding Girls†Program on High School Students’ Educational Choices," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 689 JEL Classification: J, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    5. Graziella Bertocchi & Luca Bonacini & Marina Murat, 2023. "Adams and Eves: High school math and the gender gap in Economics majors," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 61(4), pages 798-817, October.
    6. Tao, Hung-Lin & Cheng, Hui-Pei, 2022. "Parental and sibling influence on study field choice: Gender-stereotypical or field preference transmission," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    7. Shahbazian, Roujman & Dadgar, Iman, 2024. "Ranking up for STEM: The Influence of School Rank on STEM Degrees," SocArXiv byct5, Center for Open Science.
    8. Granato, Silvia, 2023. "Early Influences and the choice of college major: Can policies reduce the gender gap in scientific curricula (STEM)?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 494-521.
    9. Graziella Bertocchi & Luca Bonacini & Marina Murat, 2021. "Adams and Eves: The Gender Gap in Economics Majors," Department of Economics 0196, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    10. Karin Hoisl & Hans Christian Kongsted & Myriam Mariani, 2023. "Lost Marie Curies: Parental Impact on the Probability of Becoming an Inventor," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(3), pages 1714-1738, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; intergenerational transmission; parents; STEM;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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