Fairness Evaluations of Higher Education Graduates’ Earnings: The Role of Female Preference for Equality and Self-Interest
Assistant Professor Diana-Roxana Galos has published a new article in the British Journal of Sociology. The article examines fairness evaluations of economic returns across fields of study, focusing on how gender and field of study influence fairness perceptions.
Using data from the German Student Survey (2021), the study assessed the fairness of earnings differentials between graduates from different fields at the start of their careers. The article tests two theories: (1) women’s preference for equality, and (2) self-interest, where individuals favour higher earnings in the same field of study as their own.
Results findings support the female preference for equality and self-interest theoretical perspectives, revealing that women and respondents in fields associated with lower-earning jobs tend to perceive greater unfairness. Furthermore, an interaction between gender and field alignment influences fairness evaluations, with women more likely to view disparities as unfair when aligned with their self-interest.
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