An Empirical Analysis of the Gender Gap in Mathematics
Roland G. Fryer and Steven D. Levitt
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| Article Citation |
Fryer, Roland G., and Steven D. Levitt. 2010. "An Empirical Analysis of the Gender Gap in Mathematics." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2(2): 210–40.
DOI:10.1257/app.2.2.210
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| Abstract |
We document and analyze the emergence of a substantial gender gap
in mathematics in the early years of schooling using a large, recent,
and nationally representative panel of US children. There are no
mean differences between boys and girls upon entry to school, but
girls lose more than two-tenths of a standard deviation relative to
boys over the first six years of school. The ground lost by girls relative
to boys is roughly half as large as the black-white test score gap
that appears over these same ages. We document the presence of this
gender math gap across every strata of society. We explore a wide
range of possible explanations in the data, including less investment
by girls in math, low parental expectations, and biased tests, but
find little support for these theories. Moving to cross-country comparisons,
we find earlier results linking the gender gap in math to
measures of gender equality are sensitive to the inclusion of Muslim
countries, where, in spite of women's low status, there is little or no
gender gap in math. (JEL I23, J26)
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| Authors |
Fryer, Roland G. (Harvard U)
Levitt, Steven D. (U Chicago)
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| JEL Classifications |
I23: Higher Education and Research Institutions
J26: Retirement; Retirement Policies
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