Work

The gender gap in preferences: Evidence from 45,397 Facebook interests

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This paper uses information on the frequency of 45,397 Facebook interests to study how the difference in revealed preferences between men and women changes with a country’s degree of gender equality. For preference dimensions that are systematically biased toward the same gender across the globe, differences between men and women are larger in more gender-equal countries. In contrast, for preference dimensions with a gender bias that varies across countries, the opposite holds. The so-called gender-equality paradox is therefore limited to preferences that display the same systematic gender bias across societies.

Source: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2025.107165

Authors: Ángel Cuevas, Rubén Cuevas, Klaus Desmet, Ignacio Ortuño Ortín

Institutions: Universidad de Cantabria, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Southern Methodist University, Centre for Economic Policy Research

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,180