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ERIC Number: ED672652
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Apr
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Anticipated Discrimination and Major Choice. Working Paper 33680
Louis-Pierre Lepage; Xiaomeng Li; Basit Zafar
National Bureau of Economic Research
We study whether gender differences in university major choices result from anticipated labor market discrimination. First, we document two novel facts using administrative transcript records from a large Midwestern university: women are less likely to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as well as business and economics, but (1) those who do are positively selected on ability, and (2) obtain higher grades conditional on ability. Second, we show that these facts are consistent with a signaling model in which women anticipate greater labor market discrimination in STEM, business, and economics than in other fields. Third, we provide direct empirical evidence of anticipated discrimination using a student survey. The survey reveals striking patterns of anticipated discrimination by women, particularly in STEM, business, and economics, affecting both expected economic outcomes such as wages as well as expected workplace conditions. We conclude by showing that anticipated discrimination explains women's course taking and intended major choices, but not men's. [Financial support was provided by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond.]
National Bureau of Economic Research. 1050 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-5398. Tel: 617-588-0343; Web site: http://www.nber.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A