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Gender Differences in Risk-Taking: Evidence from Professional Basketball

Author

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  • Böheim, René

    (University of Linz)

  • Freudenthaler, Christoph

    (University of Linz)

  • Lackner, Mario

    (University of Linz)

Abstract

We analyze gender differences in risk-taking in high-pressure situations. Using novel data from professional athletes (NBA and WNBA), we find that male teams increase their risk-taking towards the end of matches when a successful risky strategy could secure winning the match. Female teams, in contrast, reduce their risk-taking in these situations. The less time left in a match, the larger is the gap. When the costs of an unsuccessful risky strategy are very large (losing the tournament), we find no increase in risk-taking for male teams.

Suggested Citation

  • Böheim, René & Freudenthaler, Christoph & Lackner, Mario, 2016. "Gender Differences in Risk-Taking: Evidence from Professional Basketball," IZA Discussion Papers 10011, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10011
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    Cited by:

    1. René Böheim & Christoph Freudenthaler & Mario Lackner, 2019. "Do male managers increase risk-taking of female teams? Evidence from the NCAA," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp281, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    2. Pikos, Anna Katharina & Straub, Alexander, 2019. "Mind the absent gap: Gender-specific competitiveness in non-professional sports," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-652, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    3. Pikos, Anna Katharina & Straub, Alexander, 2022. "Different but stable—Performance against the opposite sex across age," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Czibor, Eszter & Claussen, Jörg & van Praag, Mirjam, 2019. "Women in a men’s world: Risk taking in an online card game community," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 62-89.
    5. Mario Lackner, 2021. "Gender differences in competitiveness," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 236-236, November.
    6. Gürtler, Oliver & Struth, Lennart & Thon, Max, 2023. "Competition and risk-taking," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    7. repec:ces:ifodic:v:15:y:2017:i:2:p:19337553 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Pikos, Anna Katharina & Straub, Alexander, 2021. "Different but stable - gender-specific competitive behaviour across age," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-689, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    9. René Böheim & Mario Lackner & Wilhelm Wagner, 2022. "Raising the Bar: Causal Evidence on Gender Differences in Risk-Taking From a Natural Experiment," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 23(4), pages 460-478, May.
    10. Mario Lackner, 2016. "Teams as Superstars: Effort and Risk Taking in Rank-Order Tournaments for Women and Men," Economics working papers 2016-13, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    11. Anna Katharina Pikos & Alexander Straub, 2020. "Mind the Absent Gap: Gender-Specific Competitive Behavior in Nonprofessional Sports," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 21(3), pages 215-233, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    risk-taking; gender differences; tournament incentives;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism

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