Epistemic Discrimination against Women: Experimental Evidence from India

49 Pages Posted: 2 Jun 2021

See all articles by Karla Hoff

Karla Hoff

World Bank - Development Economics Group (DEC); World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

Tauhidur Rahman

University of Arizona - Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics

Vijayendra Rao

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

Date Written: April 1, 2017

Abstract

We use a series of controlled experiments, where we manipulate the information that men and women have, to investigate discrimination against women as sources of knowledge---epistemic discrimination---in ordinary daily life in rural north India. The experiments entail three testimonial encounters between women and men: over food choice within the household, over a causal judgment between couples, and over a conflict within the community. The experiments examine various dimensions of credibility—observing, reasoning, and synthesizing. We show that women, despite having the same level of knowledge, are less able to transmit the information than men. These results provide insights into the underpinning of woman’s difficulty in communicating ideas, defending herself against violence, exercising authority, and making contracts.

Keywords: Gender, Voice, Discrimination, Field experiment

JEL Classification: J16, O12, C93

Suggested Citation

Hoff, Karla and Rahman, Tauhidur and Rao, Vijayendra, Epistemic Discrimination against Women: Experimental Evidence from India (April 1, 2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3853215 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3853215

Karla Hoff

World Bank - Development Economics Group (DEC) ( email )

1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20433
United States

HOME PAGE: http://econ.worldbank.org/staff/khoff

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

1818 H. Street, N.W.
MSN3-311
Washington, DC 20433
United States

Tauhidur Rahman (Contact Author)

University of Arizona - Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics ( email )

P. O. Box 210023
Tucson, AZ 85721-0023
United States
(520) 621-8657 (Phone)
(520) 621-6250 (Fax)

Vijayendra Rao

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG) ( email )

1818 H. Street, N.W.
MSN3-311
Washington, DC 20433
United States
202-458-8034 (Phone)
202-522-1153 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://vijayendrarao.org

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