Declining male labor force participation in the U.S. linked to childhood experiences and role models, economists say
By
Jason Ma
Summary
The article examines the long-term decline in male labor force participation in the U.S., which has fallen from 86.4% in 1950 to 69.5% in May 2024. Economists argue this trend starts in childhood, as boys observe struggling male role models in their communities, leading to lower expectations and aspirations. The phenomenon is driven by experience effects where short-run declines in labor demand turn into long-run declines in labor supply, creating a self-reinforcing cycle across generations.
Source
bskyDeclining male labor force participation in the U.S. linked to childhood experiences and role models, economists sayfortune.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledOur findings suggest that experience effects can turn short-run declines in labor demand into long-run declines in labor supply.
The male labor force participation rate in the U.S. has been falling for generations, perplexing economists who have struggled to come up with an explanation.
The male participation rate peaked at 86.4% in 1950, but slid to 79.7% in 1970, and 76.4% in 1990.
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