(Mis)perceptions about the Gender Gap in the Labor Market

Abstract

Abstract People’s perceptions about the gender gap might influence their attitudes about the need for policy interventions to reduce it. How accurate are these perceptions? Which gender has a better understanding about the actual gender gap? Using a survey-based experiment with a representative sample of 538 Israelis, we found a significant gap between perceptions and reality with regard to wages, attributes of employment, seniority within the company and education. The misperceptions were significantly higher among males. We also found that in general, both men and women underestimated the contribution of the latter to the workforce and their level of education. Similarly, they both overestimated the percentage of women in positions such as CEOs and company chairs. The results suggest the need to increase the awareness of the gender gap, particularly among men. Such awareness is the first step in narrowing the gender gap.