Should Mothers Work? How Perceptions of the Social Norm Affect Individual Attitudes Toward Work in the U.S

Patricia Cortes, Gizem Kosar, Jessica Pan and Basit Zafar

No 17636, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We study how peer beliefs shape individual attitudes toward maternal labor supply using realistic hypothetical scenarios that elicit recommendations on the labor supply choices of a mother with a young child and an information treatment embedded within representative surveys. Across the scenarios, we find that individuals systematically overestimate the extent of gender conservativeness of the people around them. Exposure to information on peer beliefs leads to a shift in recommendations, driven largely by information-based belief updating. The information treatment also increases (intended and actual) donations to a non-profit organization advocating for women in the workplace.

Keywords: Norms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J16 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-11
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Working Paper: Should Mothers Work? How Perceptions of the Social Norm Affect Individual Attitudes Toward Work in the U.S (2022)
Working Paper: Should Mothers Work? How Perceptions of the Social Norm Affect Individual Attitudes Toward Work in the U.S (2022)
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