THREE ESSAYS ON FEMALE EMPOWERMENT: A STUDY ON GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PREFERENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This thesis consists of three chapters that provide evidence and insights on gender differences in decision-making and effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing gender inequality. The first chapter uses laboratory experiments to examine the impact of different affirmative action policies on hiring decisions into teams and team productivity. The second chapter uses administrative data to examine the impact of a gender-based affirmative action policy on developmental outcomes in Indian villages. The third chapter investigates the factors causing gender differences in stability of risk preferences over time and across stake sizes.