Gender Differences in the Allocation of Low-Promotability Tasks: The Role of Backlash
American Economic Review
vol. 107,
no. 5, May 2017
(pp. 131-35)
Abstract
This paper examines whether backlash exacerbates gender differences in time spent on low-promotability tasks. We ask whether gender differences found in previous research--women receiving more requests than men to do these tasks and women being more likely to accept such requests--amplify by the prospect of penalties for declining the request. We replicate prior findings but find no evidence that penalties increase the gender differences in task allocation. In addition, we find that the penalties men impose on others for saying "no" are larger than those imposed by women.Citation
Babcock, Linda, Maria P. Recalde, and Lise Vesterlund. 2017. "Gender Differences in the Allocation of Low-Promotability Tasks: The Role of Backlash." American Economic Review, 107 (5): 131-35. DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20171018Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D12 Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- J22 Time Allocation and Labor Supply
- J24 Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
- J71 Labor Discrimination
- J81 Labor Standards: Working Conditions