Preferences, Discrimination, and Occupational Segregation

Girish Bahal, Jan Feld () and Anand Shrivastava
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Girish Bahal: University of Western Australia
Jan Feld: Victoria University of Wellington
Anand Shrivastava: Azim Premji University

No 18843, IZA Discussion Papers from IZA Network @ LISER

Abstract: Preferences and discrimination are often treated as competing explanations for occupational segregation. This framing misses an important feedback. Preference-based sorting changes the sex composition of occupations; composition changes expected discrimination; and expected discrimination changes sorting. We formalize this mechanism through a general model, where occupations differ in flexibility and workers face more discrimination when their sex is underrepresented. We show two results. First, discrimination amplifies segregation caused by preferences. Second, preferences and discrimination are negatively correlated across occupations. We use the model to study anti-discrimination policies, preference-equalizing policies, and policies that make high-wage occupations more flexible.

Keywords: labor market segregation; preferences; discrimination; sex; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J16 J24 J71 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-07
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