Gender Influence in the Decision-Making Process: The Ultimatum Game

This paper analyzes gender differences regarding the decision-making process through a methodological approach, which is still insufficiently used in Brazil. However, it is recognized by the international academy: the economic experiment, specifically the Ultimatum Game, included within the scope of Game Theory. The experiment involved 320 participants divided into 5 subgroups moderated by gender. The results showed that in the process of interaction between individuals, the utility function must be understood not only as based on the premise of maximizing economic results, but it should take into account individual social preferences. Thus, one of the main findings was the identification of a major male predisposition for rejection of proposals coming from women, despite being comparatively more generous. Furthermore, women were observed to be more generous in their offerings compared with men. These finding are pioneering in Brazil and can be considered as an indicator of the influence gender has in the decision-making process, with important implications for the organizational environment.