Wind of Change? Cultural Determinants of Maternal Labor Supply
利用德国统一后东西德文化融合的自然实验，研究发现东德性别平等观念持久影响母亲产后劳动供给，而西德母亲会向东德同伴行为靠拢，即使返回西德后仍保持改变。
We investigate the role of cultural norms in shaping women’s labor supply decisions after childbirth. Specifically, we are interested in the interplay between childhood socialization and adulthood environment. To that end, we leverage the setting of the German reunification when East Germany’s gender-egalitarian culture induced by socialism and West Germany’s more traditional culture were brought together. We find that East German gender norms are persistent, whereas West German ones are not. West German mothers adjust their behavior to that of their East German peers not only when immersed in East German environment but even after returning to the West.