Extra CPHEB seminar: Eric Bonsang

Title: Inherited Gender Norms and Cognitive Functioning in Later Life: An Analysis of Second-Generation Immigrants 

Bonsang's paper investigates the impact of gender norms on the gender gap in cognitive functioning among older individuals. He utilizes data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and measures of gender norms from the World Value Survey (WVS), the European Values Study (EVS), and the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) to examine the gender difference in cognitive functioning of second-generation immigrants in relation to the gender norms of their parents' country of birth. "Our results indicate that more conservative gender norms in the parents' country of birth are associated with a decrease in cognitive test scores for women compared to men. We also find that these differences in cognitive functioning may have implications for the limitations with instrumental activities of daily living, such as using a telephone, taking medication, and completing housework tasks. Further analysis suggests that the relationship between inherited gender norms and cognitive functioning may be partially mediated by the gender gap in educational attainment."

Eric Bonsang is professor of Economics at University Paris-Dauphine.