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Listen to her: Gender differences in information diffusion within the household

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  • Fehr, Dietmar
  • Mollerstrom, Johanna
  • Perez-Truglia, Ricardo

Abstract

We study how economic information diffuses within the household, leveraging an information-provision experiment with a representative sample of households from Germany. A random sample of household members received information about their household’s position in the income distribution. When provided with information directly, there are no gender differences in how individuals update their beliefs. However, we observe significant gender disparities in the diffusion of information within the household. Specifically, when only the husband receives the information, it influences the wife’s beliefs; however, when only the wife receives the information, it does not affect the husband’s beliefs.

Suggested Citation

  • Fehr, Dietmar & Mollerstrom, Johanna & Perez-Truglia, Ricardo, 2024. "Listen to her: Gender differences in information diffusion within the household," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:239:y:2024:i:c:s004727272400149x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105213
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    Cited by:

    1. Nyqvist, Martina Björkman & Jayachandran, Seema & Zipfel, Céline, 2024. "A mother’s voice: Impacts of spousal communication training on child health investments," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    2. Thomas Graeber & Shakked Noy & Christopher Roth, 2024. "Lost in Transmission," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 272, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    3. Björkman Nyqvist, Martina & Jayachandran, Seema & Zipfel, Céline, 2023. "A Mother’s Voice: Impacts of Spousal Communication Training on Child Health Investments," CEPR Discussion Papers 17916, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Household economics; Information diffusion; Gender; Survey; Experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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