Discussion paper

DP13234 More Women in Tech? Evidence from a field experiment addressing social identity

This paper investigates whether social identity considerations-through beliefs and norms- drive women’s occupational choices. We implement two field experiments with potential applicants to a five-month software-coding program offered to women from low-income backgrounds in Peru and Mexico. When we correct the perception that women cannot succeed in technology by providing role models, information on returns and access to a female network, application rates double and the self-selection patterns change. Analysis of those patterns suggests that identity considerations act as barriers to entering the technology sector and that some high-cognitive skill women do not apply because of their high identity costs.

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Citation

Del Carpio, L and M Guadalupe (2018), ‘DP13234 More Women in Tech? Evidence from a field experiment addressing social identity‘, CEPR Discussion Paper No. 13234. CEPR Press, Paris & London. https://cepr.org/publications/dp13234