【主题】How Ambiguity Reinforces Occupational Segregation by Gender
【报告人】李晨，Erasmus University Rotterdam，Associate Professor
【时间】2023年4月27日（周四）上午10:00-11:30
【地点】经济学院大楼701会议室
【语言】英文
【摘要】This paper provides new insight into occupational segregation along gender lines by analyzing career choice as a decision made under ambiguity (an uncertain situation where probabilities are unknown). In an online experiment, participants performed both a male-typical task (task M) and a female-typical task (task W). They then chose one of the two tasks to compete in for a chance to win a prize, provided they were among the top 50% of performers. This decision is ambiguous, as participants had incomplete information regarding their performance relative to others in these tasks. Using an advanced measurement method from decision theory, we measured participants’ attitudes towards ambiguity concerning their ranking in both tasks. We found that both men and women were more averse to ambiguity on the gender incongruent task. Controlling for actual performance, this increased ambiguity aversion made people less willing to compete in gender incongruent tasks. This suggests that ambiguity is an important factor contributing to the gender segregation across occupations. Our findings also point to ambiguity attitudes and gender stereotypes as possible channels through which to tackle ongoing gender inequality.
【报告人简介】Dr. Chen Li (中文名：李晨) is an associate professor in behavioral economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam (the Netherlands). Her research focuses on ambiguity attitudes, including their measurement, relations to people’s well-being, and how to help people better handle uncertainties. She has published on prestigious journals including Econometrica, Journal of Economic Theory, Management Science, Experimental Economics, European Economic Review, Journal or Risk and Uncertainty, Journal of Mathematical Psychology, and Theory and Decision.