Misperceptions of Gender Norms with David Yanagizawa-Drott

In this seminar, University of Zurich professor David Yanagizawa-Drott presents findings from a global study on misperceptions of gender norms, drawing on nationally representative data from 60 countries covering over 80% of the world population. He shows that misperceptions are pervasive: in countries with low gender equality, people underestimate support for women's basic right to work outside the home, while in more gender-equal countries, people overestimate support for affirmative action policies. The research identifies gender stereotyping and overweighting of minority views as key mechanisms driving these patterns worldwide. Building on his earlier work showing that correcting such misperceptions in Saudi Arabia increased women's labor force participation, Yanagizawa-Drott discusses the implications for policies aimed at advancing gender equality globally.

David Yanagizawa-Drott is Professor of Development and Emerging Markets at the University of Zurich, where he holds appointments in the Department of Economics and the UBS Center for Economics in Society. His research spans development economics and political economy, with a current focus on how culture and social norms shape labor markets and gender inequality, as well as how artificial intelligence can be developed to have positive social impact in Global South. He co-chairs the Partnership for AI Evidence (PAIE) at J-PAL, leads the Social Catalyst Lab, and serves as Associate Editor at the Journal of Political Economy. He received the Yrjö Jahnsson Award in 2025.