Are Gender Differences in Performance Innate or Socially Mediated?

To explain persistent gender gaps in market outcomes, a lab experimental literature explores whether women and men have innate differences in ability (or attitudes or preferences), and a separate field-based literature studies discrimination agains...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	BenYishay, Ariel, Jones, Maria, Kondylis, Florence, Mobarak, Ahmed Mushfiq
Format:	Working Paper
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2016
Subjects:	SKILLS EMPOWERMENT BIRTH COMMUNITIES BENEFIT AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH EQUIPMENT GENDER INEQUALITY VILLAGES PRODUCTION AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PARTNER INFORMATION SERVICES DISCRIMINATION AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION HEALTH DEPRESSION GENDER-BASED DISCRIMINATION PROJECT WILL GENDER BIAS KNOWLEDGE NEW TECHNOLOGIES LABOR MARKET PLANTS DISEASES FARMERS’ KNOWLEDGE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN TRAINING GENDER BIASES DWELLING INTERVENTION AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION MARKETS MALE LAND RESOURCES RESEARCH GENDER IDENTITIES LIVESTOCK EXTENSION FARMERS SEX DISCRIMINATION CROPS DESIGN ADULTHOOD DIET GENDER DIFFERENCES PESTS WOMAN FAMILY EXTENSION SERVICES PARTICIPATION GENDER OCCUPATIONS HOUSEHOLD STD AGRICULTURE AGENCIES PROPERTIES MARKET ECONOMICS WEEDS MANAGEMENT SEX ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES GENDER DIFFERENCE LAND CHILDREN GENDERS FEMALES EDUCATION VILLAGE LEVEL AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES HOUSEHOLDS EQUALITY PARTNERS RURAL AREAS FARMS FEED DWELLINGS HOUSES FUNDING TRAININGS INTERVENTIONS COMMUNITY MALES WOMEN AGRICULTURAL LABOR MARKETS TECHNOLOGIES FEMALE GENDER IDENTITY DISTRICTS BENEFITS SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION GENDER EQUALITY INEQUALITY
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/05/26420271/gender-differences-performance-innate-or-socially-mediated http://hdl.handle.net/10986/24524

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Summary:	To explain persistent gender gaps in market outcomes, a lab experimental literature explores whether women and men have innate differences in ability (or attitudes or preferences), and a separate field-based literature studies discrimination against women in market settings. This paper posits that even if women have comparable innate ability, their relative performance may suffer in the market if the task requires them to interact with others in society, and they are subject to discrimination in those interactions. The paper tests these ideas using a large-scale field experiment in 142 Malawian villages where men or women were randomly assigned the task of learning about a new agricultural technology, and then communicating it to others to convince them to adopt it. Although female communicators learn and retain the new information just as well, and those taught by women experience higher farm yields, the women are not as successful at teaching or convincing others to adopt the new technology. Micro-data on individual interactions from 4,000 farmers in these villages suggest that other farmers perceive female communicators to be less able, and are less receptive to the women's messages. Relatively small incentives for rewards undo the disparity in performance by encouraging added interactions, improving farmers' accuracy about female communicators' relative skill.

Are Gender Differences in Performance Innate or Socially Mediated?

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