Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Effect of Media on Aspirations: Gender Heterogeneity
Author-Name: Elif Bodur
Author-Email: 

Classification-JEL: J16, J22, L82, M3
Keywords: media, advertisements, gender, aspirations, choice scenarios, beliefs

Abstract: I investigate how media images, particularly advertisements, shape audiences’ aspirations.
Utilizing the natural experiment in East Germany, I demonstrate that exposure
to Western TV during the formative years of childhood and adolescence increases the
income aspirations of males. Additionally, through an online experiment, I highlight
that advertisements not only elevate income aspirations but also diminish the desire to
have children among male adolescents. The latter particularly holds when the advertisements
portray equal sharing of childcare responsibilities within couples. Notably,
the effects of media exposure vary depending on their mothers’ labor market status.
These findings underscore the pivotal role of media in perpetuating and reinforcing
stereotypical gender roles.

Note: 
Length: 48
Creation-Date: 2025-01
Revision-Date: 
File-URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp627
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:CRCTR224_2025_627