JENNY CHANG

Hi and welcome!

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University.  I am on the 2025-2026 academic job market.

My research leverages insights from economics and psychology to understand the drivers of social and economic inequality. I use experimental methods—including lab studies, field experiments, and surveys—to investigate how these inequalities emerge and persist.

Broadly, I am interested in how information frictions shape inequality and opportunity. In contexts where decision-makers have an incomplete picture of an individual, opportunities and outcomes often depend on what information individuals choose to share about themselves—whether it be their competencies, identities, or circumstances. 

My research asks the following:

• What determines whether and how individuals convey information about their skills, identities, or personal circumstances—and do they accurately anticipate the consequences of doing so?

• Do these self-presentation behaviors differ systematically across groups (e.g., by gender)?

• How do such behaviors shape perceptions of competence, credibility, or deservingness? 

• What are the implications for disparities in social and economic outcomes?

My job market papers examine gender gaps in labor market outcomes, studying both how women and men differ in making their skills visible, and whether those behaviors lead to different outcomes in career-relevant settings.