Why Can't a Woman Earn as Much as a Man?

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In terms of lifetime earning power, most women earn far less than their male colleagues do. What lies at the root of the pay gap? The answer is neither simple nor definitive, as this program reveals. Research leads hosts Sophie Raworth and Justin Rowlatt - each a parent with young daughters - on a not-so-merry chase to see what the future may hold for their children. Stops along the way include a meeting regarding a class action suit brought by women for lost wages due to unfair salary practices; a group job interview that prompts discussion of a double standard regarding assertiveness in women and men; same-sex and coeducational schools, to see how gender stereotyping influences career choice; and a medical facility where a brain activity assessment is used to seek insights into potential physiological differences in how women and men process tasks. Also addressed is the question of whether so-called typical female qualities - empathy and openness, to name two - align women with work that is less valued, monetarily speaking, by the job market.