Biology and Gender in the Labor Market

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in Bonn is a local and virtual international research center and a place of communication between science, politics and business. IZA is an independent nonprofit organization supported by Deutsche Post Foundation. The center is associated with the University of Bonn and offers a stimulating research environment through its international network, workshops and conferences, data service, project support, research visits and doctoral program. IZA engages in (i) original and internationally competitive research in all fields of labor economics, (ii) development of policy concepts, and (iii) dissemination of research results and concepts to the interested public. Terms of use: Documents inIZA Discussion Papers often represent preliminary work and are circulated to encourage discussion. Citation of such a paper should account for its provisional character. A revised version may be available directly from the author. Can biology help us to better understand gender differences in labor market behavior and outcomes? This chapter reviews the emerging literature which sheds light on this question, considering research in four broad areas: i) behavioral endocrinology; ii) human genetics; iii) neuroeconomics; and iv) sensory functioning and time-space perceptions.JEL Classification: J31, A12, Z0

Is Gender in the Eye of the Beholder? Identifying Cultural Attitudes with Art Auction Prices

“…One possible explanation for our 3 A large literature has documented gender differences in psychological traits and measures of preferences (e.g., Bertrand, 2010;Niederle, 2014). While some of these differences may have biological origins (e.g., risk-taking preferences appear to be correlated with testosterone levels, which are on average higher in men), the role of biology in shaping preferences is not yet clear, see, e.g., Cobb-Clark (2017). results is that the price difference reflects a quality difference that can be attributed to women's historical lack of access to art education and resources (e.g., Nochlin, 1971;Davis, 2015). While selection might lead the average quality of women's art entering the secondary market to be better, not worse, than the average quality of the men's art (see also Cameron et al, 2017), the importance of selection depends on the process through which art reaches the secondary market.…”

Gender and labour market outcomes

“…Studies consistently report that women are more risk averse than men and are less willing to compete, especially with men (see literature reviews by Croson andGneezy 2009 andNiederle 2016). Women are also, on average, more neurotic, agreeable, and conscientious (South et al 2018), are better at recognising colours and hearing faint sounds, and have a better sense of touch, smell, and taste, but are more sensitive to noises and perform worse on spatial tasks (Cobb-Clark 2016). Empirical evidence on the role of noncognitive skills for gender differences in labour market outcomes is to date rather scarce.…”

“…It is not fully clear, however, whether these findings are purely driven by biological factors or socialisation patterns (Bertrand 2011). Furthermore, studies find that noncognitive skills mostly influence occupational choices (Baker and Cornelson 2018;Cobb-Clark and Tan 2011), but their role for men's and women's wages is less clear (Blau and Kahn 2017). As argued by Cobb-Clark (2016), risk aversion or extroversion may be a disadvantage in some jobs, but an asset in others.…”

“…Furthermore, studies find that noncognitive skills mostly influence occupational choices (Baker and Cornelson 2018;Cobb-Clark and Tan 2011), but their role for men's and women's wages is less clear (Blau and Kahn 2017). As argued by Cobb-Clark (2016), risk aversion or extroversion may be a disadvantage in some jobs, but an asset in others. Cobb-Clark and Tan (2011) showed that the gender wage gap continues to persist after accounting for gender differences in personality traits and locus of control, and Baker and Cornelson (2018) even report an increase in the gender wage gap after accounting for selection into occupations on the basis of sensory or motor abilities.…”

“…As argued by Cobb-Clark (2016), risk aversion or extroversion may be a disadvantage in some jobs, but an asset in others. Cobb-Clark and Tan (2011) showed that the gender wage gap continues to persist after accounting for gender differences in personality traits and locus of control, and Baker and Cornelson (2018) even report an increase in the gender wage gap after accounting for selection into occupations on the basis of sensory or motor abilities.…”