To examine this possibility, we estimate equation (1) for our core outcomes stratified by whether the female's mother has a college degree. These results, in table 3, show that the role model effects identified in section IVA are driven by daughters of less educated mothers. The results highlight that same-gender role models are important not only for closing the gender STEMM gap but also for closing the within-gender socioeconomic STEMM gap. This suggests same-gender role models may be an important tool for improving intergenerational occupational mobility.24 To ensure that this heterogeneity is not driven by female GPs being better at communicating with low-educated families than male GPs, we also estimate equation (1) for boys of low-educated mothers. The results are provided in table A11. None of the coefficients are statistically significant, consistent with our main findings.

Table 3.

Effect of Same-Gender GP on Females, by Mother's Education

High school academic trackHigh school STEMM credentialCompulsory school STEMM GPAHigh school STEMM GPA
A: Mother college or more
Same-gender GP 0.029 0.035 0.021 −0.014
(0.033) (0.050) (0.091) (0.098)
Mean 0.851 0.291 4.632 4.243
Observations 2,341 2,341 2,339 2,337
B: Mother less than college
Same-gender GP 0.070*** 0.093*** 0.101* 0.137**
(0.026) (0.024) (0.054) (0.053)
Mean 0.675 0.152 4.212 3.874
Observations 4,654 4,643 4,637 4,652
High school academic trackHigh school STEMM credentialCompulsory school STEMM GPAHigh school STEMM GPA
A: Mother college or more
Same-gender GP 0.029 0.035 0.021 −0.014
(0.033) (0.050) (0.091) (0.098)
Mean 0.851 0.291 4.632 4.243
Observations 2,341 2,341 2,339 2,337
B: Mother less than college
Same-gender GP 0.070*** 0.093*** 0.101* 0.137**
(0.026) (0.024) (0.054) (0.053)
Mean 0.675 0.152 4.212 3.874
Observations 4,654 4,643 4,637 4,652

The table shows the $β1$ coefficients obtained through estimation of equation (1) as described in the text and reproduced here for clarity: $yi=α+β1GP_Matchi+τt+πm+θc+ρd+εi$. $yi$ is a general term denoting the outcome listed at the top of each column, and each estimation includes municipality ($πm$), year of swap ($τt$), birth year ($θc$), and previous GP ($ρd$) fixed effects. The point estimates depicted in the table should be interpreted as the effect of random assignment to same-gender GP in childhood on the outcome listed at the top of the column. Standard errors are clustered at the level of the exogenously assigned GP. Panel A includes all girls who were subject to at least one exogenous GP swap prior to age 15 and have a mother with at least a college education. Panel B includes includes all girls who were subject to at least one exogenous GP swap before age 15 and have a mother with less than a college education. Significant at $*$10%, $**$5%, $***$1%.

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