Gender Differences in the Genetics of Skill Formation

Abstract

This paper examines why boys are lagging behind girls in early skills. Moving beyond mean comparisons, we integrate genetic endowments into a dynamic model of skill formation to characterize how biological and social mechanisms contribute to the distribution of gender gaps in early cognitive skills. We find substantial heterogeneity in the gender gap in early skills, which follows both socioeconomic and genetic gradients, with boys significantly lagging behind girls developmentally at the lower end of both distributions. Our model reveals that gender gaps are explained by a multitude of factors. The genetic gradient in the gender gap is explained by a higher sensitivity to genes for boys, while the socioeconomic gradient is explained by a higher sensitivity to investments and higher self-productivity of skills for boys. Parental investments further amplify early disparities, as disadvantaged boys receive the lowest levels of investment despite facing higher returns for these investments. Our findings highlight the complex interplay of genetic endowments and family environments in shaping gender gaps in early skills and underscore the importance of considering heterogeneity in both dimensions to understand the origins of this inequality.