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Gender Gaps in Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills: Roles of SES and Gender Attitudes

Author

Listed:
  • Hervé, Justine

    (Stevens Institute of Technology)

  • Mani, Subha

    (Fordham University)

  • Behrman, Jere R.

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Nandi, Arindam

    (The Population Council)

  • Sankhil Lamkang, Anjana

    (CDDEP)

  • Laxminarayan, Ramanan

    (Princeton University)

Abstract

Gender gaps in skills exist around the world but differ remarkably among the high and low-and-middle income countries. This paper uses a unique data set with more than 20,000 adolescents in rural India to examine whether socioeconomic status and gender attitudes predict gender gaps in cognitive and noncognitive skills. We find steep socioeconomic and attitude gradients in both cognitive and noncognitive skills, with bigger effect sizes for the socioeconomic status (SES) gradients. Our results suggest that a sizable improvement in gender attitudes would yield important gains for females, but substantial gains would come only from large improvements in household socioeconomic status. Overall, the household socioeconomic and cultural environment is significantly associated with the gender gaps in both cognitive and noncognitive skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Hervé, Justine & Mani, Subha & Behrman, Jere R. & Nandi, Arindam & Sankhil Lamkang, Anjana & Laxminarayan, Ramanan, 2021. "Gender Gaps in Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills: Roles of SES and Gender Attitudes," IZA Discussion Papers 14132, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14132
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    Cited by:

    1. Das, Upasak & Singhal, Karan, 2023. "Solving it correctly: Prevalence and persistence of gender gap in basic mathematics in rural India," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    2. Eshita Goswami, 2024. "Impact of teacher gender and role models on student outcomes in India," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2024-016, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; gender attitudes; noncognitive skills; cognitive skills; India; children;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • 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
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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