Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/36821 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2010
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 4838
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper shows that the gender world record ratio in four disciplines, i.e. marathon, triple jump, pole vault and 800 meters, follows an S-shape over time. It is argued that this pattern is initiated by a sudden drop in the social barrier for women to participate in these disciplines. This drop in social barrier materializes - later - by the authorization for women to participate at major events, such as the Olympic Games, in these disciplines. The paper builds a simple economic model of sector self-selection and human capital accumulation with intrinsic disutility (social barriers) to participate in some sectors. As social barriers are removed in a sector, the Gender Performance Ratio is shown to follow an S-shape over time under very basic assumptions and calibrations. Ability self-selection, measured as the difference between mean ability of women in that sector and population mean, becomes more positive after removal of the social barrier.
Subjects: 
Gender performance ratio
sector self-selection
human capital investments
JEL: 
J16
J7
N32
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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