Gender Differences In Economic Knowledge In Greece

Abstract

This paper focuses on the effect of gender differences on learning and understanding economics. More particularly, data resulting from an empirical review of relevant bibliography is discussed in the first part and the results of pertinent studies that were carried out in Greek schools are presented in the second part. With respect to high school education, Greek findings demonstrate that when girls receive the same amount of economic instruction as boys in senior high school (lyceum), they score higher than them, despite the fact that performance is measured by TEL, which is a standardized test advantaging the male way of thinking as shown by American researchers. Indeed, the superiority of girls over boys in Greek senior high schools becomes even more important considering the disadvantages of the measurement tool which is further emphasised by the fact that Greek students are not well accustomed to M-C tests. We should note however, that the difference observed is marginally statistically significant. With respect to higher education, the results showed that TUCE III is reliable for Greek economic education and more particularly with regards to the subject of interest in this paper, the boys exhibited considerably and statistically higher economic understanding than the girls. This result is consistent with the bibliographys findings.