From 2018... Estimates fail to associate gender equality measures with gender segregation in higher education; religiosity is significantly associated with lower gender segregation in higher education

Graduates’ opium? Cultural values, religiosity and gender segregation by field of study. Izaskun Zuazu. Jun 2018. http://www.iaffe.org/media/cms_page_media/788/Izaskun_Zuazu.pdf

Abstract: This paper studies the relationship between cultural values and gender distribution across fieldsof study in higher education. I compute national, field and subfield-level gender segregation indicesfor a panel dataset of 26 OECD countries for 1998-2012. This panel dataset expands the focus ofprevious macro-level research by exploiting data on gender segregation in specific subfields of study. Iconsider two focal cultural traits: gender equality and religiosity, and control for potential segregationfactors, such as labour market and educational institutions, and aggregate-level gender disparities inmath performance and beliefs among young people. The estimates fail to associate gender equality measures with gender segregation in higher education. Religiosity is significantly associated with lower gender segregation in higher education. However, gender gaps in math beliefs seem to be stronger predictors of national-level gender segregation. Field and subfield-level analyses reveal that religiosity is associated with less gender-segregated fields of education, science, and health, and specifically with the subfield of social services.

Keywords: horizontal gender segregation, higher education, cultural values, religiosity, math beliefs,association index.
JEL:A13, I24, J16

6 Conclusion

Persisting levels of gender segregation across fields of study in Western countries seem at odds with the
increase in female participation in higher education. This observation is particularly puzzling against the
backdrop of a rmative action, anti-discrimination policies, and gender-egalitarian ideals in developed
countries. The literature highlights individual factors (gender gaps in preferences and foreseeing family
obligations) and external factors (economic structure, institutions, discrimination) as causes of gender
segregation. This paper studies whether cultural values, in particular gender equality and religion, play
a role in horizontal gender segregation in higher education.

I construct a panel dataset with information on gender segregation indices at national level, at 9-field level
and at 23-subfield level for 26 OECD countries for 1998-2012. I link this data with two focal cultural traits:
Gender equality, measured alternatively on the basis of either the Gender Inequality Index (UNDP) or the
Gender Equality measure (IDEA), and religiosity, taken from the World Value Survey. I propose fixed-effects
models that control for potential segregative factors such as economic structural change, labour
market and educational systems features. The estimates fail to associate gender (in)equality measures
with a significant role in horizontal gender segregation. By contrast, religiosity is significantly associated
with lower levels of horizontal gender segregation.

I expand the models seeking to control for gender gaps in math beliefs developed during the youthhood.
Using two waves of data taken from PISA surveys, I find a contemporaneous association between gender
gaps in anxiety, self-concept and self-e cacy with higher gender segregation of graduates across fields of
study. These gaps seem to be stronger predictors of national-level gender segregation than religiosity.
Field and subfield-levels analyses pinpoint to a robust association between religiosity and lower segregation
levels in the fields of agriculture and health and welfare, and more specifically in the subfield of social
services.

From a policy viewpoint, the role of religiosity may be controversial. However, the findings regarding
gender gaps in math beliefs tend to indicate that e orts to close gaps between boys and girls might
enhance a more gender-equal distribution across fields of study in higher education. Nevertheless, it
should be stressed that the findings above are based on macro-level data on segregation, and should be
taken with caution. Two natural ways to extend this paper would be first to scrutinize whether there is
any link between cultural traits and vertical segregation, i.e. gender segregation at di erent attainment
levels within higher education; and second to expand the gender gaps in ability perceptions among young
people into other dimensions, such as reading and science.