An experiment to include gender-related material in introductory microeconomics

We will begin fall 2023 and continue throughout the academic year 2023-2024 and possibly longer. Students will be assigned to treatment (gender economics curriculum) or control (labor economics curriculum), which consists of two lectures lasting approximately as long as a regular class session (1 hour and 20 minutes). The gender curricula was developed by PI Heath, whose research focuses on gender and labor markets in low-income countries, and who teaches a gender in economics undergraduate course. The material in that course can frequently be explained using simple tools developed in introductory microeconomics, and the gender in economics module in particular focuses on:
1. introduce models of labor market discrimination, explain statistical versus taste-based discrimination, and explore empirical evidence on policies designed to close gender wage gaps (pay transparency, flexibility in wage setting). (Lecture 1)
2. introduce models of family economics and the economics of fertility, including the impacts of access to contraception (Lecture 2)

2023-11-06

2024-05-10

1. A survey-based measure of ``relevance, belonging, and growth mindset"
2. Final exam score, exclusive of questions on the supplementary material.
3. Taking Econ 300

Our survey-based measure of ``relevance, belonging, and growth mindset'' is similar to Bayer et al, 2020. We calculate an ``RBG index'' that averages together fifteen questions intended to measure a student's sense of relevance, belonging, and growth. The index is defined to be the equally weighted average of z-scores of its components. Each question's z-score is calculated by subtracting that question's mean from the student's response and dividing by that question's standard deviation. See appendix table A1 in our PAP for a list of all fifteen questions.

Enrollment in introductory macroeconomics (Econ 201)
Application to the economics major
Acceptance to the economics major
Successful completion of graduation requirements (within 4 and 5 years).
Enrollment in math courses that serve as gateway courses to the major (Math 300 or Applied Math 301).
Application to the math major
Acceptance to the math major

We randomly saturate TA sections, treating 25%, 50%, and 75% of students. Following Banerjee et al (2020) we conduct 10 randomizations and choose the randomization that contains the fewest differences between treatment and control among the following variables: student gender (we group students who identify as nonbinary with students who identify as women), status as an underrepresented minority, first generation, and location of origin (US/international).

Not available

Stata dofile

Individual level randomization, with random saturation of TA sections.

No

1537 students

1537 students

We randomly saturate TA sections, treating 25%, 50%, and 75% of students.

PAP