Project Manager
Wengström, ErikProject manager
Lund UniversityAmount granted
3 130 000 SEKYear
2019
Most of the gender pay gap is driven by men and women working in different occupations and sectors. A key factor in the gender segregation of the labor market is the educational choices of young men and women. Women tend to choose courses that lead to lower salaries, for example in health sciences, humanities and social sciences. This is while men are more likely to opt for science and technology courses that lead to higher-paying jobs. Why do women choose education and training courses that offer fewer opportunities for good career and salary development than men do? One possible explanation is that women's and men's social preferences differ and that women find it more important to be able to help others and contribute to a better society through their profession. Although this explanation is often highlighted in the media and in political contexts, no one has tried to test its relevance using scientific methods. We aim to fill this knowledge gap by answering three research questions. To what extent are educational and occupational choices influenced by people's desire to contribute to society and help others? Do women attach more importance to this social dimension when making their educational and career choices than men? How much of the gender gap in education, career and pay can be explained by such a preference difference? The project will answer these questions using a combination of experiments, surveys and register data.