Lecture Title:

Gender Composition, Social Context, and Academic Performance in High-Stakes Examinations

Abstract:

This study examines how gender composition in high-stakes examination settings affects academic performance, using data from students in China’s National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao). Leveraging random seating assignments, we show that female students significantly improve their scores and increase their chances of university admission when seated with more female peers, particularly those in immediate view. Male students show no significant response. These positive effects are stronger in regions with greater gender equality and weaker Confucian norms, highlighting the role of local social contexts. Our findings suggest that gender composition and social environment significantly influence academic outcomes in competitive settings, with implications for reducing gender disparities in education.

Speaker:

Associate Professor Zhang Ming’ang (School of Public Finance and Taxation, Central University of Finance and Economics)

Time:

Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 13:00–14:30

Venue:

Room 347, Qiushi Building

Language:

Chinese and English

Moderator:

Professor Zhao Liqiu

Participants:

All faculty and students are warmly welcome to attend.

Speaker Bio:

Zhang Ming’ang is an Associate Professor and Master’s Advisor at the School of Public Finance and Taxation, Central University of Finance and Economics. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Tsinghua University and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Nanjing University. His main research interests include labor economics, environmental economics, and public economics. He has published over 20 papers in journals such as the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Health Economics, China Economic Quarterly, Journal of World Economy, China Industrial Economics, and Journal of Quantitative & Technical Economics. He has led a Youth Project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and participated in numerous national and provincial-level projects. Several of his policy consulting reports have received recognition from central and provincial-level leaders. He has served as a visiting scholar at Cornell University and as a peer reviewer for journals including the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, China Economic Quarterly, and Journal of World Economy.