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Gender Differences in Performance and Risk-taking among Children, Teenagers, and College Students: Evidence from Jeopardy!

Author

Listed:
  • Jetter Michael

    (Department of Economics, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Western Australia6009, Australia)

  • Walker Jay K.

    (Department of Economics, Old Dominion University, 2048 Constant Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA)

Abstract

Studying Jeopardy! contestants in the US, we explore whether and when gender differences in performance in competitive settings and risk-taking emerge with age and by opponents’ gender. We identify no gender differences in winning episodes, responding, or responding correctly to clues. Male teenagers (but not children) wager substantially more than female teenagers, leading to the emergence of the gender gap, equivalent to a 7.3 percentage point difference. This gap persists for college students. Finally, male teenagers and college students wager substantially less when competing against females, whereas the gender of opponents does not influence the behavior of young female contestants.

Suggested Citation

  • Jetter Michael & Walker Jay K., 2020. "Gender Differences in Performance and Risk-taking among Children, Teenagers, and College Students: Evidence from Jeopardy!," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 20(2), pages 1-24, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:20:y:2020:i:2:p:24:n:4
    DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2019-0179
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    Cited by:

    1. David Boto-García & Marta Escalonilla, 2022. "University education, mismatched jobs: are there gender differences in the drivers of overeducation?," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 39(3), pages 861-902, October.
    2. Mario Lackner & Hendrik Sonnabend, 2025. "Positive Feedback Shapes Gender Gaps in Adolescent RiskTaking – Causal Evidence from Real-Risk Competitions," Economics working papers 2025-10, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    3. Inés P. Murillo Huertas & José L. Raymond, 2024. "Education, educational mismatch and occupational status: an analysis using PIAAC data," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 41(3), pages 717-738, October.
    4. Jetter, Michael & Stockley, Kieran, 2021. "Gender Match and the Gender Gap in Venture Capital Financing: Evidence from Shark Tank," IZA Discussion Papers 14069, IZA Network @ LISER.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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