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Gender differences in willingness to guess revisited: Heterogeneity in a high stakes professional setting

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  • Díez-Rituerto, Marina
  • Gardeazabal, Javier
  • Iriberri, Nagore
  • Rey-Biel, Pedro

Abstract

Multiple choice question tests are often the gateway to important professional outcomes. We study gender differences in willingness to guess among highly skilled and trained candidates in a high stakes multiple choice question test, before and after a reduction in the number of alternative answers to each question, lowering the penalty for incorrect answers to the critical value, i.e, the one yielding zero expected value upon uniform beliefs. We find heterogeneous gender differences, replicate the previous finding that women answer fewer questions than men, and conclude that reducing the number of alternative answers levels the field for men and women among those candidates who answer most of the questions.

Suggested Citation

  • Díez-Rituerto, Marina & Gardeazabal, Javier & Iriberri, Nagore & Rey-Biel, Pedro, 2026. "Gender differences in willingness to guess revisited: Heterogeneity in a high stakes professional setting," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:242:y:2026:i:c:s016726812600003x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2026.107415
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Riener, Gerhard & Wagner, Valentin, 2017. "Shying away from demanding tasks? Experimental evidence on gender differences in answering multiple-choice questions," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 43-62.
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    7. Paolo Crosetto & Antonio Filippin, 2023. "Safe options and gender differences in risk attitudes," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 66(1), pages 19-46, February.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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