Citation

Bohren JA, Imas A, Rosenberg M. Am. Econ. Rev. 2019; 109(10): 3395-3436.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Economic Association)

DOI

10.1257/aer.20171829

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We model the dynamics of discrimination and show how its evolution can identify the underlying source. We test these theoretical predictions in a field experiment on a large online platform where users post content that is evaluated by other users on the platform. We assign posts to accounts that exogenously vary by gender and evaluation histories. With no prior evaluations, women face significant discrimination. However, following a sequence of positive evaluations, the direction of discrimination reverses: women's posts are favored over men's. Interpreting these results through the lens of our model, this dynamic reversal implies discrimination driven by biased beliefs.

Language: en

Keywords

Belief; Communication; Field Experiments, Search; Information and Knowledge; Learning; Non-labor Discrimination, Labor Discrimination; Unawareness, Economics of Gender