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Gender Differences in the Choice of Major: The Importance of Female Role Models

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Published

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Gender Differences in the Choice of Major: The Importance of Female Role Models. / Porter, Catherine; Serra, Danila.
In: American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, Vol. 12, No. 3, 01.07.2020, p. 226-254.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Porter, C & Serra, D 2020, 'Gender Differences in the Choice of Major: The Importance of Female Role Models', American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 226-254. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20180426

APA

Porter, C., & Serra, D. (2020). Gender Differences in the Choice of Major: The Importance of Female Role Models. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 12(3), 226-254. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20180426

Vancouver

Porter C, Serra D. Gender Differences in the Choice of Major: The Importance of Female Role Models. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. 2020 Jul 1;12(3):226-254. doi: 10.1257/app.20180426

Author

Porter, Catherine ; Serra, Danila. / Gender Differences in the Choice of Major : The Importance of Female Role Models. In: American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. 2020 ; Vol. 12, No. 3. pp. 226-254.

Bibtex

@article{cb680d691cf041f2baa65f95da53e337,
title = "Gender Differences in the Choice of Major: The Importance of Female Role Models",
abstract = "We conducted a field experiment aimed at increasing the percentage of women majoring in economics. We exposed students enrolled in introductory classes to successful and charismatic women who majored in economics at the same university. The intervention significantly impacted female students{\textquoteright} enrolment in further economics classes, increasing their likelihood to major in economics by 8 percentage points. This is a large effect, given that only 9 percent of women were majoring in economics at baseline. Since the impacted women were previously planning to major in lower-earning fields, our low-cost intervention may have a positive effect on their future incomes.",
author = "Catherine Porter and Danila Serra",
year = "2020",
month = jul,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1257/app.20180426",
language = "English",
volume = "12",
pages = "226--254",
journal = "American Economic Journal: Applied Economics",
issn = "1945-7782",
publisher = "American Economic Association",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Gender Differences in the Choice of Major

T2 - The Importance of Female Role Models

AU - Porter, Catherine

AU - Serra, Danila

PY - 2020/7/1

Y1 - 2020/7/1

N2 - We conducted a field experiment aimed at increasing the percentage of women majoring in economics. We exposed students enrolled in introductory classes to successful and charismatic women who majored in economics at the same university. The intervention significantly impacted female students’ enrolment in further economics classes, increasing their likelihood to major in economics by 8 percentage points. This is a large effect, given that only 9 percent of women were majoring in economics at baseline. Since the impacted women were previously planning to major in lower-earning fields, our low-cost intervention may have a positive effect on their future incomes.

AB - We conducted a field experiment aimed at increasing the percentage of women majoring in economics. We exposed students enrolled in introductory classes to successful and charismatic women who majored in economics at the same university. The intervention significantly impacted female students’ enrolment in further economics classes, increasing their likelihood to major in economics by 8 percentage points. This is a large effect, given that only 9 percent of women were majoring in economics at baseline. Since the impacted women were previously planning to major in lower-earning fields, our low-cost intervention may have a positive effect on their future incomes.

U2 - 10.1257/app.20180426

DO - 10.1257/app.20180426

M3 - Journal article

VL - 12

SP - 226

EP - 254

JO - American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

JF - American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

SN - 1945-7782

IS - 3

ER -