Human Capital Investment and the Gender Division of Labor in a Brawn-Based Economy

Mark M. Pitt, Mark Rosenzweig and Md. Nazmul Hassan

No 93916, Center Discussion Papers from Yale University, Economic Growth Center

Abstract: We use a model of human capital investment and activity choice to explain facts describing gender differentials in the levels and returns to human capital investments. These include the higher return to and level of schooling, the small effect of healthiness on wages, and the large effect of healthiness on schooling for females relative to males. The model incorporates gender differences in the level and responsiveness of brawn to nutrition in a Roy-economy setting in which activities reward skill and brawn differentially. Empirical evidence from rural Bangladesh provides support for the model and the importance of the distribution of brawn.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Consumer/Household Economics; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Health Economics and Policy; International Development; Labor and Human Capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 55
Date: 2010-09
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Human Capital Investment and the Gender Division of Labor in a Brawn-Based Economy (2012)
Working Paper: Human Capital Investment and the Gender Division of Labor in a Brawn-Based Economy (2010)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:yaleeg:93916

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.93916

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