Structural Equation Approach to Modeling Social Norms in Women’s Education: A Case Study of India

Studies on women's education often use indicators of social practices as proxies for social norms but fail to account for three critical features of norms: they are latent, multifaceted, and shaped by external factors. To address these gaps, the study employ the MIMIC (Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes) model within a structural equation framework. This method enables the inclusion of various social practices, each serving as an imperfect representation of an underlying norm, while also identifying exogenous factors that can drive changes in these norms. Applying this approach to India, the researchers find that social norms negatively influence women's education. Moreover, a mother's education emerges as a norm-breaking factor, whereas a father's education reinforces traditional norms.