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Abstract Why does academic and labour market outcomes differ for those in pursuing post secondary education? This study will explore whether any prior social or individual beliefs can explain these differences. An intervention designed to enable learning from past failures by generating an anticipation of regret for not taking action when it was the time to do so. A retrospective exposure to past failed experiences could increase individuals' awareness on what leads to failure. As a result, individuals should update their beliefs and make behavioural changes that help them get their desired educational and labour market goals. This study is interested to look at whether there is any demand for higher order cognitive skills as a result of the treatment and whether individual emotional intelligence can explain any differences likely to be observed. In the short term we can observe whether there is update in beliefs and in the long term we can observe real academic and labour market outcomes. Statistics show that women’s labour force participation is low and they tend to drop out if they are married or when they have household responsibilities. Literature suggests that this could be due to biased gender norms and preferences: burden of domestic care work may fall primarily on women, men may not prefer women working, they may also be unaware of social acceptance of women working. The first question this study will explore can men’s attitude towards women working be changed, especially when women are married or when they are likely to have household responsibilities? Women may be subject to these biased gender norms and that may lower their labour market aspirations and participation. The second question the study will explore is if men have a positive attitude for women working, does it encourage more women to work? A gender sensitization intervention will raise awareness on gender gaps and their adverse economic impacts on women. Positive role models will equip participants will tools to be more active in bringing change.
Trial Start Date July 01, 2024 January 01, 2025
Trial End Date May 31, 2025 July 31, 2025
Last Published May 07, 2024 06:11 AM October 31, 2024 07:42 AM
Intervention Start Date August 01, 2024 January 01, 2025
Intervention End Date May 31, 2025 June 30, 2025
Primary Outcomes (End Points) Academic Outcomes: 1. Self reported beliefs on graduation and grades 2. Graduation status and grades Labour Market Outcomes: 1. Self reported beliefs on employability 2. Self reported beliefs on expected starting salary 3. Self reported beliefs on average job search time 4. Self reported beliefs on earnings in 5 years 5. Self reported beliefs on employment status in 5 years 6. Self reported beliefs on employment sector 7. Real employment status upon graduation 8. Real starting salary upon graduation 9. Real job search time 10. Real sector of employment Primary Outcomes: 1. Change in perception (1st and 2nd order beliefs) of women working 2. Increased labour market aspirations Real Outcomes: 1. Employment 2. Salary 3. Nature of job 4. Sector of job 5. Months to employment 6. Marital status 7. Care work status
Experimental Design (Public) The intervention will be through two day long workshops, once in the beginning of the academic term and again when students are preparing for the job market. Students in the treatment arm will be exposed to retrospective information shared by past graduates on their academic and professional failures. The video content will focus on how low academic performance and strict non-pecuniary preferences for a job resulted in worse than expected labour market outcomes. A post intervention workshop will also be conducted. Students in the placebo arm will be exposed to a psychologically inactive content. The intervention will be through day long gender sensitization workshops.
Keyword(s) Education, Labor Education, Gender, Labor
Secondary Outcomes (End Points) Grit, locus of control, self efficacy, growth mindset captured through standard indices
Pi as first author No Yes
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