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Are people more risk-taking in the presence of the opposite sex?

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  • McAlvanah, Patrick

Abstract

This paper investigates whether exposure to the opposite sex induces greater risk-taking in both males and females. Experimental subjects evaluated a series of hypothetical monetary gambles before and after viewing pictures of opposite sex faces; control subjects viewed pictures of cars. Both males and females viewing opposite sex photos displayed a significant increase in risk tolerance, whereas the control subjects exhibited no significant change. Surprisingly, the attractiveness of the photo had no effect; subjects viewing photographs of attractive opposite sex persons displayed similar results as those viewing photographs of unattractive people.

Suggested Citation

  • McAlvanah, Patrick, 2009. "Are people more risk-taking in the presence of the opposite sex?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 136-146, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:30:y:2009:i:2:p:136-146
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bonnier, Evelina & Dreber, Anna & Hederos, Karin & Sandberg, Anna, 2018. "Undressed for Success? The Effects of Half-Naked Women on Economic Behavior," Working Paper Series 6/2018, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    2. Bonnier, Evelina & Dreber, Anna & Hederos, Karin & Sandberg, Anna, 2019. "Exposure to half-dressed women and economic behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 393-418.
    3. Islam Asadul & Smyth Russell, 2012. "The Economic Returns to Good Looks and Risky Sex in the Bangladesh Commercial Sex Market," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, May.
    4. Jahedi, Salar & Deck, Cary & Ariely, Dan, 2017. "Arousal and economic decision making," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 165-189.
    5. Koellinger, Ph.D. & Block, J.H., 2012. "Attractive Supervisors: How Does the Gender of the Supervisor Influence the Performance of the Supervisees?," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2012-003-STR, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    6. María Amelia Gibbons & Martín Rossi, 2019. "When You Can't Tube... Impact of a Major Youtube Outage on Rapes," Working Papers 133, Universidad de San Andres, Departamento de Economia, revised Apr 2020.

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