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Different but stable—Performance against the opposite sex across age

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  • Pikos, Anna Katharina
  • Straub, Alexander

Abstract

There is mixed evidence for gender differences in competing against the opposite sex. We analyze performance data from a sport where men and women can compete directly against each other. Our unique data consists of around 585,000 observations from almost 23,000 mixed-gender ninepin bowling games in Austria and the Czech Republic. To account for possible self-selection into competition against the opposite gender, we use the opponent team’s sex composition as an instrument. There is little evidence for gender differences in Austria. In Czechia, men perform better against women and women worse against men. Both patterns are stable across age.

Suggested Citation

  • Pikos, Anna Katharina & Straub, Alexander, 2022. "Different but stable—Performance against the opposite sex across age," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:79:y:2022:i:c:s0927537122001701
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2022.102280
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Performance against the opposite sex; Sports economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • Z22 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - Labor Issues

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