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Gender, context and competition: Experimental evidence from rural and urban Uganda

Author

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  • Bjorvatn, Kjetil
  • Falch, Ranveig
  • Hernæs, Ulrikke

Abstract

We analyze the willingness to compete among secondary school students in an urban and a rural context in Uganda. We find no significant gender bias in competitiveness in the urban context, while in the rural context females are significantly less competitive than males. The willingness to compete among males is not sensitive to location. These results hold when controlling for knowledge, confidence, attitude towards risk, and individual and household background variables. Our analysis suggests that context is an important determinant of willingness to compete, and we propose that attitudes towards gender equality may be an important factor in shaping these preferences for females.

Suggested Citation

  • Bjorvatn, Kjetil & Falch, Ranveig & Hernæs, Ulrikke, 2016. "Gender, context and competition: Experimental evidence from rural and urban Uganda," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 31-37.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:61:y:2016:i:c:p:31-37
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2016.02.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Booth, Alison & Nolen, Patrick, 2012. "Choosing to compete: How different are girls and boys?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 542-555.
    2. Steffen Andersen & Seda Ertac & Uri Gneezy & John A. List & Sandra Maximiano, 2013. "Gender, Competitiveness, and Socialization at a Young Age: Evidence From a Matrilineal and a Patriarchal Society," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 95(4), pages 1438-1443, October.
    3. Alberto Alesina & Paola Giuliano & Nathan Nunn, 2013. "On the Origins of Gender Roles: Women and the Plough," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 128(2), pages 469-530.
    4. Cárdenas, Juan-Camilo & Dreber, Anna & von Essen, Emma & Ranehill, Eva, 2012. "Gender differences in competitiveness and risk taking: Comparing children in Colombia and Sweden," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 11-23.
    5. Muriel Niederle & Lise Vesterlund, 2007. "Do Women Shy Away From Competition? Do Men Compete Too Much?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 1067-1101.
    6. Thomas Buser & Muriel Niederle & Hessel Oosterbeek, 2014. "Gender, Competitiveness, and Career Choices," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 129(3), pages 1409-1447.
    7. Berge, Lars Ivar Oppedal & Bjorvatn, Kjetil & Garcia Pires, Armando Jose & Tungodden, Bertil, 2015. "Competitive in the lab, successful in the field?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 303-317.
    8. Rachel Croson & Uri Gneezy, 2009. "Gender Differences in Preferences," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 47(2), pages 448-474, June.
    9. Uri Gneezy & Kenneth L. Leonard & John A. List, 2009. "Gender Differences in Competition: Evidence From a Matrilineal and a Patriarchal Society," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(5), pages 1637-1664, September.
    10. Bjorvatn, Kjetil & Tungodden, Bertil, 2015. "Disabled by stereotype? Experimental evidence from Uganda," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 268-280.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Erica G. Birk & Logan M. Lee & Glen R. Waddell, 2019. "Overlapping Marathons: What Happens to Female Pace When Men Catch Up?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 86(2), pages 823-838, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Competition; Gender; Urban; Rural; Development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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