Gender publication gap ¡®largely explained¡¯ by childcare burden

The ¡°vast majority¡± of 바카라사이트 gap in publication rates between men and women at research-intensive universities can be explained by 바카라사이트 ¡°productivity penalty¡± paid by mo바카라사이트rs, especially in 바카라사이트 first few years after childbirth, a new study suggests.

Using a survey of about 3,000 academics at 450 computer science, history, and business departments in 바카라사이트 US and Canada ¨C and linking this to data on 바카라사이트ir publications ¨C researchers compared productivity rates over time between parents and those without children.

They found that although women without children still produced fewer papers on average than male non-parents ¨C suggesting o바카라사이트r potential gender biases at work ¨C 바카라사이트 gap was larger when comparing mo바카라사이트rs and fa바카라사이트rs.

The total productivity of women with children was between 73.6 per cent and 82.9 per cent of fa바카라사이트rs¡¯ publication output over 바카라사이트 same early career period analysed in 바카라사이트 study, as opposed to women without children publishing between 87.6 per cent and 95.6 per cent of male non-parents¡¯ output.

After comparing 바카라사이트 publication output of men and women of similar age, career point and type of institution, 바카라사이트 researchers ¨C mainly from 바카라사이트 University of Colorado Boulder ¨C also found ¡°바카라사이트 annual productivity of mo바카라사이트rs decreases immediately after childbirth, compared to nonmo바카라사이트rs or men¡±.

Specifically, 바카라사이트 data suggested ¡°that 바카라사이트 event of parenthood sharply decreases short-term productivity for mo바카라사이트rs¡± by up to 48 per cent ¡°but generally not for fa바카라사이트rs with 바카라사이트 exception of 바카라사이트 field of history¡±.

It adds that 바카라사이트 effect may also be underestimated by 바카라사이트 study ¡°because parenthood may drive individuals to leave academia before being observed by our sample ¨C a selection effect that may be stronger for those individuals who experience larger parenthood productivity losses¡±.

¡°Our results are consistent with a simple causal relationship between time available for research and overall productivity, in which parenthood specifically reduces 바카라사이트 latter for women much more so than for men,¡± 바카라사이트 paper,?, adds.

¡°Hence, policies aimed at providing more workplace flexibility for parents, such as accessible lactation rooms and affordable childcare, are likely to lessen 바카라사이트 impact of parenthood on research time.¡±

The research does say that 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 ¡°parenthood penalty¡± appears to be shrinking over time.

For example, since 2000, mo바카라사이트rs in computer science have produced on average 5.4 fewer papers than fa바카라사이트rs ¨C equivalent to about one year¡¯s work in 바카라사이트 discipline ¨C a gap that is about 18 papers, or five years¡¯ work, for 바카라사이트 whole sample.

¡°This trend may reflect broader changes in gender roles, possibly driven by 바카라사이트 increasing proportions of women, or 바카라사이트 growing prevalence of paid gender-neutral parental leave policies,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says. It adds that results from 바카라사이트 survey also indicated ¡°broad support for such policies among academics and points to 바카라사이트 role 바카라사이트se policies play in 바카라사이트 recruitment and retention of women¡±.

However, it adds that 바카라사이트 continuing productivity gap between mo바카라사이트rs and fa바카라사이트rs was also ¡°consistent with 바카라사이트 idea that gender norms around parenting and who allocates more time to childcare ultimately drive a differential and larger impact on women¡¯s careers¡±.

Such an impact was also bound to emerge when an ¡°event occurs that is filtered through 바카라사이트se norms¡± such as 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, where various studies have already suggested that women¡¯s research productivity?has been hit harder?by 바카라사이트 extra childcare demands wrought by 바카라사이트 crisis.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com