Sharma, Karmini (2021) Essays in development economics and economics of gender. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis studies three topics in development economics and economics of gender as summarized below. Chapter 1 provides results from a randomized controlled trial undertaken in collaboration with colleges in New Delhi to study the effect of sexual harassment awareness training for men on women’s self-reported sexual harassment and on relationships between men and women. I find that approximately three to four months after the training, both sexual harassment and opposite sex relationships go down. I show that this is consistent with an increase in men’s perceived peer disapproval against sexual harassment in their class. Chapter 2 studies gender gap in endogenous information seeking about one’s own performance. We design a laboratory experiment in which subjects perform a male stereotypical task and then choose to receive feedback from two differentially informative feedback structures. We then introduce variations in the costs and benefits of choosing more informative feedback structure. We find that women seek less information than men but that introducing strategic concerns removes this gender gap. Chapter 3 tests for attribution bias by gender which means attribution of unexpectedly good outcomes to ability for men and luck for women and vice versa, in case of unexpectedly bad outcomes. We set up a principal-agent framework using a laboratory experiment. Principal’s outcomes are affected by both the effort of the agent and a random component. In particular, higher the number of questions answered correctly by the agent, the higher is the expected payoff from a lottery that is assigned to the principal. We then test whether the principal differentially pays according to the gender of the agent. We do not find evidence of attribution bias by gender but find instead that the principals pay lesser to agents of the same gender.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Development economics, Women in development, Women -- Economic conditions, Sexual harassment -- India -- Prevention, Sex role in the work environment, Women -- Employment
Official Date:	December 2021
Dates:	Date Event December 2021 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Economics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Imbert, Clément (Postdoctoral researcher) ; Fenske, James
Sponsors:	University of Warwick. Department of Economics ; University of Warwick. Chancellor's International Scholarship ; Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) ; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	vii, 102 leaves : illustrations, charts, photographs
Language:	eng

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