Statistical Discrimination and Sex Stereotypes in the Labor Market

Time out for child care is unevenly distributed between the sexes. This paper investigates if this can be explained by self-ful\u85lling sex stereotypes in the labor market. The paper provides a model of distribution of time out for child care based on statistical discrimination and human capital in-vestments. The model has three equilibria. In one equilibrium, time out for child care evenly distributed between the sexes. In the second equilibrium, there is full specialization. The third equilibrium is an intermediate case, where time out for child care is unevenly distributed without full special-ization. There are no di¤erences in ability or variance of ability between the sexes, the only di¤erences between the equilibria are the self-ful\u85lling expectations of \u85rms and workers. (JEL D63, J71